INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR INNOVATIVE RESEARCH IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY FIELD

Abstract:    This study examines the relationship between multilingualism, language shift and cultural resilience among indigenous Himalayan communities through the framework of ethnolinguistic vitality and multilingual identity. The research investigates how indigenous populations negotiate linguistic and cultural identities within increasingly multilingual environments shaped by globalization, migration, education and dominant language ideologies. While indigenous languages continue to function as repositories of cultural memory and collective identity, younger generations increasingly engage with dominant regional and global languages such as Hindi and English for education, employment and social mobility. The study adopts a qualitative and interpretive methodology based on semi-structured interviews, oral narratives, participant observations and secondary scholarly sources. The findings reveal that multilingualism in Himalayan communities is not merely a process of language replacement but also one of identity negotiation and adaptive cultural continuity. Younger speakers frequently engage in code-switching and domain-based multilingual communication, using indigenous languages in ritual and familial settings while relying on Hindi and English in institutional and digital spaces. Despite the decline in intergenerational transmission of indigenous languages, cultural resilience remains visible through oral traditions, ritual performances and collective cultural practices. The study argues that multilingual adaptation should not be interpreted solely as cultural loss but as a dynamic process of negotiating identity within changing socio-economic realities. The paper contributes to contemporary discussions on multilingual identity, minority language maintenance and indigenous language preservation in multilingual societies. It further highlights the urgent need for inclusive language policies, mother-tongue-based multilingual education and institutional support mechanisms to sustain indigenous linguistic and cultural diversity.