Marathi Language Must Be Preserved, Nurtured, and Respected – Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde

Literary Personalities Honored on Marathi Language Pride Day

Mumbai : Marathi language lovers are spread across the world. However, some Marathi people switch to Hindi or English when speaking with each other. This should be avoided, and Marathi should be spoken whenever possible. Everything related to Marathi must be preserved, nurtured, and respected, stated Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

To honor individuals dedicated to promoting the Marathi language and literature, a felicitation and award ceremony was organized at the Gateway of India in Mumbai. The event was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Minister for Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Minister for Industry & Marathi Language Uday Samant, MLA Dr. Manisha Kayande, Secretary of the Marathi Language Department Dr. Kiran Kulkarni, along with eminent literary figures, writers, and an enthusiastic audience.

During the event, the Vinda Karandikar Lifetime Achievement Award 2024 was posthumously awarded to senior literary figure Ravsaheb Rangrao Borade, and his daughter, Mrs. Prerna Dalvi, received it on his behalf. The Shri. Pu. Bhagwat Award 2024 for notable publishing houses was given to Jyotsna Prakashan, Pune. The Dr. Ashok Kelkar Linguistics Award 2024 was presented to Dr. Ramesh Sitaram Suryavanshi, while the Shri Mangesh Padgaonkar Language Preservation Award 2024 was conferred upon Mrs. Bhimabai Jondhale.

Deputy CM Shinde emphasized that every Marathi person should take pride in their language in daily life, as true service to “Mother Marathi” goes beyond just love—it involves preserving Marathi literature, theater, films, folk arts, music, and cuisine. He clarified that advocating for Marathi is not about opposing other languages; rather, language is a symbol of identity, pride, and existence. History has seen many languages become extinct, and if Marathi were to fade away, so would its cultural identity. Therefore, preserving and nurturing the language is the responsibility and duty of every Marathi-speaking individual, he asserted.

With modern technology advancing, Marathi is now accessible in knowledge-based fields, and it must evolve as a language of knowledge and commerce to thrive further. Marathi should be actively used in daily transactions, expansion, and conservation. Linguists must take the initiative to support this effort, Shinde added.

Substantial Funding for Marathi Language Promotion – Deputy CM Ajit Pawar

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar reaffirmed the Maharashtra government’s commitment to the promotion and conservation of the Marathi language, assuring that there would be no shortage of funds. Recalling the words of renowned Marathi poet Suresh Bhat, Pawar noted that Marathi is not just Maharashtra’s language but a global identity for Marathi-speaking people worldwide.

He acknowledged the significant contributions of a committee chaired by senior writer and professor Ranganath Pathare, which worked tirelessly for the preservation of the Marathi language. The state of Maharashtra remains deeply grateful for their dedication, he stated. On Marathi Language Pride Day, the message of cherishing Marathi culture, language, and traditions was reinforced.

Upcoming Conferences for Youth, Women, and Children’s Literature – Announcement by Marathi Language Minister Dr. Uday Samant

In his opening remarks, Minister for Marathi Language and Industry Dr. Uday Samant highlighted that the Maharashtra government’s efforts have secured Marathi’s recognition as a Classical Language. The Marathi Language Department is now working at an international level and aims to expand the number of overseas Marathi associations to 50.

The government will provide special funds for preserving Marathi culture and literature in border regions and implement various initiatives to elevate Marathi literature to a global stage. The government has also pledged to fulfill the dreams of the late literary figure R. R. Borade, Samant stated.

Moving forward, the Vinda Karandikar Award will be presented at the Gateway of India, and the birthplace of Kusumagraj has been declared a “Village of Poetry”, where literary activities will be encouraged.

The innovative concept of “Book Hotels”, where patrons can enjoy reading alongside dining, was also highlighted during the event. The government is dedicated to promoting literary initiatives and has announced conferences dedicated to youth, women, and children’s literature.

On this Marathi Language Pride Day, 2023 Rural Literature Awards were presented in various literary categories:

• Keshavsut Poetry Award – Eknath Patil for Arishta Kaalache Bhaysoochan
• Ram Ganesh Gadkari Drama Award – Makarand Sathe
• Hari Narayan Apte Novel Award – Anand Wingkar
• Divakar Krishna Short Story Award – Dilip Naik-Nimbalkar
• Anant Kanekar Literary Prose Award – Anjali Joshi
• Shripad Krishna Kolhatkar Humor Award – Shekhar Gaikwad
• N. C. Kelkar Biography Award – Vivek Govilkar
• Lakshmibai Tilak Autobiography Award – Dr. Vasant B. Rathod
• Shri. K. Kshirsagar Award for Literary Criticism & Research – Sameer Chavan

Other notable awards included:

• Shahu Maharaj History Award – Prakash Pawar
• Narhar Kurundkar Linguistics & Grammar Award – Ujjwala Joglekar
• Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Science & Technology Award – Subodh Javadekar
• Vasantrao Naik Agriculture & Allied Professions Writing Award – Dr. Lalita Vijay Bora
• Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe Literature for the Underprivileged Award – Sunita Savarkar
• Na. Go. Nandapurkar Philosophy & Psychology Award – Y. R. Jadhav
• Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil Education Award – Hemant Chopde
• Dr. Punjabrao Deshmukh Environment Award – Madhav Gadgil
• Ra. Na. Chavan Edited/Adapted Literature Award – Editor Ravi Mukul
• Tarkateerth Laxmanshastri Joshi Translation Award – Shrikant Arun Pathak
• Bhai Madhavrao Bagal Miscellaneous Writing Award – Supriya Raj

For children’s literature:

• Balkavi Poetry Award – Prashant Asanare
• Bha. Ra. Bhagwat Drama Award – Sanjay Shinde
• Sane Guruji Novel Award – Rekha Baijal
• Raja Mangalvedhekar Short Story Award – Sharad Apte
• Yadunath Thatte General Knowledge Award – Dr. Pramod Bejkar
• Na. Dho. Tamhanakar Miscellaneous Children’s Literature Award – Dr. Anand Nadkarni

For first-time publications:

• Bahinabai Chaudhari Poetry Award – Tanhaji Ramdas Borhade
• Vijay Tendulkar Drama Award – Harish Bodhare
• Shri. Na. Pendse Novel Award – Pradeep Kokre
• G. L. Thokal Short Story Award – Dr. Sanjeev Kulkarni
• Tarabai Shinde Literary Prose Award – Ganesh Manohar Kulkarni

In the Sarfhojiraje Bhosale Global Marathi Awards, the Sayaji Maharaj Gaikwad Award for translation was presented to Yogini Mandavgane for Albert Camus’ “Le Mythe de Sisyphe”.

This grand celebration reaffirmed the commitment to preserving Marathi language, culture, and literature while recognizing outstanding contributions in various literary fields.