January 18, 2026: With the support of the advocacy organization Hindu American Foundation, Senator Vin Gopal and Assemblywoman Margie Donlon, D-Monmouth, have sponsored joint Senate and Assembly resolutions to declare Sanskrit as one of the world languages.
The resolutions, (SJR167) and (AJR230), recognize that Sanskrit is a language with a unique origin. Sanskrit is considered to be one of the most systematic, technical, and innovative languages. It has one of the largest vocabularies, approximately 102,000 words, making it highly versatile. Sanskrit has influenced nearly 97 percent of world languages, demonstrating its far reaching and profound impact on language and culture.
Sanskrit has been widely recognized for its sophisticated structure, efficiency in developing algorithms, and its ability to express subtle philosophical teachings. Sanskrit has 2,500 years of literature including poetry, philosophical writings, and Hindu traditions.
This resolution acknowledges not just Sanskrit’s cultural and spiritual importance, but also New Jersey’s vibrant Hindu community. In the last decade, New Jersey has seen tremendous growth of Hindu residents who now share a greater percentage of our population than any other state. The Swaminarayan Akshardham Mandir, in Robbinsville, which was designed in accordance with ancient Hindu scriptures, is the largest Hindu Temple in the United States and the second largest in the world. As the foundational language, Sanskrit holds deep importance to Hindu traditions and spiritual framework.
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### Senator Vin Gopal serves as Senate Majority Whip and Chair of the Senate Education Committee, in addition to serving on the Senate Judiciary Committee. He previously served as Democratic Conference Chair (2022-2025) and Majority Conference Leader (2018-2021). Elected in 2018, a lifelong resident of Monmouth County, Senator Gopal represents residents of Asbury Park, Allenhurst, Bradley Beach, Colts Neck, Deal, Eatontown, Fair Haven, Freehold, Freehold Township, Interlaken, Loch Arbor, Long Branch, Neptune City, Neptune Township, Ocean Township, Red Bank, Shrewsbury, Shrewsbury Township, and Tinton Falls.