Under the category "extinct languages" comes the name of the classical language of ancient India. What is it?

The classical language of ancient India, often referred to as a "dead" or "extinct" language, is Sanskrit. This classification stems from the fact that it is no longer spoken as a primary language for daily communication by a community of native speakers. While many individuals learn Sanskrit and several thousand citizens have reported it as their mother tongue in Indian censuses, these numbers often reflect an aspiration to connect with the language's prestige rather than its use in everyday life.

Sanskrit boasts a rich history, tracing its origins back to the early second millennium BCE as Vedic Sanskrit, the language of the Rigveda, one of the oldest known religious texts. It was later standardized into Classical Sanskrit by the ancient grammarian Pāṇini around the 4th century BCE, a system renowned for its comprehensive and scientific grammar. This sophisticated language became the primary sacred language of Hinduism, with foundational texts like the Vedas, Upanishads, and Bhagavad Gita composed in it. It also served as a liturgical and philosophical language for Buddhism and Jainism, spreading its influence across ancient and medieval South Asia.

Despite its "extinct" label in terms of everyday spoken use, Sanskrit's legacy is profound and enduring. It has significantly influenced numerous modern Indian languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, and Gujarati, which have either directly descended from or been heavily shaped by its vocabulary and grammatical principles. Today, Sanskrit continues to be widely used as a ceremonial language in Hindu rituals, Buddhist hymns, and chants. It is also a subject of academic study globally, recognized for its linguistic depth and its role as a window into India's rich intellectual and cultural heritage.