New Delhi: Kannada and Telugu are two new languages to join Sanskrit and Tamil as Indian classical languages.

This announcement was made Friday by Culture Minister Ambika Soni.

The Indian government took the decision based on the recommendations of the Committee of Linguistic Experts set up by the culture ministry, Soni told reporters here.

"Representations were received from a wide spectrum of political and civil opinion from both Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh for declaration of Kannada and Telugu as classical languages," she said.

All these representation were then referred to the Committee of Linguistic Experts.

"The committee has recently recommended that both Telugu and Kannada be classified as classical languages," she added.

She said the decision to make the announcement Friday was also taken because of the fact that Rajyotsava Day or the formation day is celebrated in both Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh Nov 1.

She, however, also said this announcement would be subject to the decision in a writ petition pending in the Madras High Court. "Government of India has moved in the matter to have the writ petition disposed off," she added.

In June this year, the Madras High Court had issued notice to the central government on a writ petition challenging the setting up of a central committee to consider granting classical language status to Telugu and Kannada.