Indigenous languages of Chenab Valley face extinction as Kashmiri, Urdu, Hindi gain ground

Languages native to Jammu and Kashmir's Chenab Valley—including Kishtwari, Padri, and Sirazi—are disappearing as fewer households speak them with each passing generation.

The erosion is driven by the spread of Kashmiri, Urdu, and Hindi through schools, urban migration, and digital platforms. Younger generations increasingly adopt these larger languages, leaving the region's indigenous tongues at risk of extinction.

The shift reflects broader patterns of linguistic consolidation in Kashmir, where historical and social factors have accelerated the marginalization of minority speech communities.