Springfield, IL: In a significant recognition of the vital role played by Punjabi-speaking residents within the state, Governor J.B. Pritzker has officially proclaimed February 2026 as “Punjabi Language Month” in Illinois. This declaration honors the contributions of the Punjabi community and aligns with the United Nations' International Mother Language Day, which is observed globally on February 21. Approved by UNESCO, this day promotes awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity while advocating for the preservation and protection of all languages.
Punjabi stands as the ninth most widely spoken language in the world, originating around the 7th century in the Punjab region of what is now divided between India and Pakistan in South Asia. Today, more than 113 million people speak Punjabi worldwide. It serves as a primary language for Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, and Christians with roots in the Punjab region. Punjabi holds status as an official language in India, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, and Canada, and vibrant communities can also be found in Malaysia, East African countries, the United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, and Australia.
Within the United States, there are over 750, 000 Punjabi-speaking Americans, including more than 50, 000 residing in Illinois.
Dr. Primal Kaur, PCS Chairwoman, highlighted the proud, adventurous, and hospitable nature of Punjabis. She noted that the community is known for its bravery and love of fun and for introducing the world to delicious Punjabi cuisine.
To mark Punjabi Language Month, several activities and events are scheduled in the Metro Chicago area. According to Bikram Singh Sohi, president of the Punjabi Cultural Society (PCS) of Chicago, one highlight is the “RANGLA PUNJAB” event, which will take place on April 25, 2026, at the Gateway Theater in the Copernicus Center, Chicago.
Rajinder Singh Mago, a member of the Board of Governors for PCS, emphasized the strong commitment of Punjabi-speaking Illinoisans to preserving, protecting, and sharing their rich language, literature, arts, music, dance, culture, films, festivals, and traditions with the wider American community. Punjabis in the British Indian military have been honored for their valor during World Wars I and II, earning more top medals for bravery in battle fighting for the Allies than any other non-British community.
Punjabi Americans have achieved distinction across various fields. The first Asian American U.S. Congressman, Dalip Singh Saund from California, was a Sikh Punjabi. Other prominent Punjabi Americans include Nobel Prize winner in medicine Har Gobind Khorana, former Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, former South Carolina Governor Nicky Haley, U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna, NASA Astronaut Kalpana Chawla, Narinder Singh Kapani (the “father of fiber-optics”), Vinod Khosla (co-founder of Sun Microsystems), Sabeer Bhatia (co-founder of Hotmail), Vinod Dham (inventor of the Pentium chip), and Ajay Banga (former MasterCard CEO and current World Bank president). Many are also successful farmers in Southern California, growing a variety of crops such as almonds, raisins, and peaches.
Punjabis have also made significant contributions internationally. In Canada, notable figures include Harjit Singh Sajjan (former Minister of National Defense), Anita Anand (former Minister of National Defense and current Minister of Foreign Affairs), Jagmeet Singh (former Leader of the New Democratic Party), and Ujjal Dosanjh (former Governor of British Columbia). In New Zealand, Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi serves as a Member of Parliament. From India, former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Inder Kumar Gujral, and President Giani Zail Singh were of Punjabi origin. Rishi Sunak, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, is also of Punjabi heritage.