Assamese

Assamese is the easternmost Indo-Aryan language, spoken by over 15 million people in the Indian states of Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. It is also spoken in parts of Bangladesh and Bhutan. The language is most closely related to Bengali and Oriya, and also has significant influence from Tibeto-Burman languages spoken in the region. Assamese is written in the Assamese alphabet, a descendant of the Brahmi script. It is the official language of Assam, and one of the 22 scheduled languages of India. The Constitution of India recognizes Assamese as a "regional language" of the Northeast. Assamese literature dates back to the 13th century, and the language has a rich tradition of poetry and drama. It also has a growing body of Assamese-language news media and literature.