CM Devendra Fadnavis Calls for Strong Action Plan to Preserve and Promote Marathi Language

Mumbai, July 20: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed officials to prepare and implement a comprehensive action plan for the preservation, promotion, and development of the Marathi language, its literature, and regional dialects. He also instructed that the State Marathi Development Institute ensure transparency, continuity, and efficiency by scheduling all statutory meetings for the year in advance.

Chairing the Governing Council meeting of the State Marathi Development Institute at Sahyadri Guest House, the Chief Minister appreciated the institution for clearing its long-pending administrative and statutory backlog. He said the strengthened administrative framework should now focus on research, promotion, and preservation of Marathi.

Several proposals were discussed during the meeting, including expanding the “Book Village” and “Library in a Box” initiatives to tribal and border areas, establishing a theatre complex in Gadchiroli-Vadsa to preserve the Zadi dialect and eastern Vidarbha’s theatre tradition, promoting folk art forms such as Bharud, Gondhal, and Powada, and encouraging children’s literature and libraries.

The Chief Minister also reviewed the progress of digitising nearly 1.5 million historic Modi script documents in Thanjavur and discussed expediting the proposed Global Marathi Centre in London dedicated to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Marathi Language Minister Dr. Uday Samant informed the meeting that efforts are underway to establish 75 international Brihan Maharashtra forums to promote Marathi globally. He also announced the establishment of a Kusumagraj Chair at Jawaharlal Nehru University, the launch of a postgraduate course on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s guerrilla warfare strategy, and the formation of a Yashwantrao Chavan Translation Committee to translate quality literature from Indian and international languages into Marathi.