Lost Languages of India: Brahmi, Kharosthi & Sharada

India’s linguistic journey is as old and fascinating as its civilization itself — a land where words, scripts, and symbols shaped empires, beliefs, and knowledge. Long before modern Indian languages like Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, or Kannada evolved, ancient India communicated through remarkable writing systems such as Brahmi, Kharosthi, and Sharada . These lost languages of India carried the wisdom of kings and monks, the teachings of faith, and the trade records that connected India to the world. From the Ashokan edicts written in Brahmi to the Buddhist manuscripts in Kharosthi and the Sanskrit texts in Sharada , each script reflects India’s deep cultural evolution. In this article, we explore the origins, features, and legacies of these ancient Indian scripts — uncovering how they became the foundation of modern Indian languages and why they continue to hold timeless historical and cultural value. 1. The Brahmi Script – The Mother of Indian Writing Systems 1.1 Origin and Histor...