The Gujarati language, spoken by 46 million people globally, is an Indo-Aryan language popular in several Indian states and abroad. Emerging in the late 16th century, it gained prominence with notable figures like Mahatma Gandhi but was primarily associated with trade before the 19th century. Rajan Bhatt, MD, who authored this overview, is a cardiology fellow active in patient care in Arizona.

1. The Gujarati
Language, by Rajan
Bhatt, MD

2. The Gujarati Language
Spoken by 46 million people worldwide, the Indo-
Aryan language Gujarati remains popular in
Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and other
Indian states. Moreover, people in Kenya, Fiji, South
Africa, Singapore, and the United States adopt this
dialect. A descendant of Devangari, Gujarati first
emerged in the late 16th century. Not used for
literature or scholarly pieces until the 19th century, it
is deemed a script of bankers, merchants, and
traders. It was also the language of Mahatma
Gandhi.

3. The Gujarati Language
Gujarati is considered a syllabic alphabet, and it
features 36 consonants that possess inherent vowel
sounds. Vowels also exist independently, and they
can be expressed as their own symbol or through
diacritical marks connected to a consonant.

4. About the Author
A former Cardiology
Fellow at the University
of Arizona Sarver
Heart Center, Rajan
Bhatt, MD, cares for
patients in Scottsdale,
Arizona, and belongs
to the American
College of Cardiology,
the American Society
of Echocardiography,
and similar
organizations.