Marathi Receives Classical Language Status, Celebrated by Uday Samant and Gajendra Shekhawat
The Centre officially recognizes Marathi as a classical language, a moment of pride for Maharashtra
Marathi, Maharashtra, Uday Samant, Gajendra Shekhawat, Classical Language, Cultural Heritage
Mumbai: Big news for Marathi speakers! The Centre has officially given Marathi the classical language status. Uday Samant, the state minister, and Gajendra Shekhawat, the Union Minister, met in New Delhi to make it official.
This recognition is a huge deal. It was approved by the Union Cabinet on October 3, 2024, along with a few other languages like Assamese and Bengali. Shekhawat handed over the official notification to Samant during their meeting.
Samant was over the moon about this recognition, calling it a “dream come true” for everyone in Maharashtra. He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Modi and Shekhawat for their support.
He also mentioned that the state government will soon present a proposal outlining the benefits that come with this classical language status. This recognition highlights Marathi’s rich cultural heritage and its significant role in Indian literature and arts.
Looking ahead, Samant shared that Shekhawat will be visiting Pune for the Marathi World Conference at the end of January. He emphasized the state’s dedication to promoting the Marathi language on a global stage and thanked all the writers and scholars who contributed to this achievement.
With this new status, Marathi will enjoy several benefits, like the establishment of a centre of excellence and dedicated academic positions at central universities. This is a big step for advanced research and studies in the language.
The central government is also set to provide an annual grant of Rs 250 to Rs 300 crore. This funding will help build research centres, promote literature, and expand the language’s reach in universities and other institutions.
There will be efforts to make studying Marathi easier in universities across India. Plus, ancient texts will be translated to reach a broader audience. The recognition also means that two national awards will be given each year to outstanding scholars in the language.
To qualify for classical status, a language needs to have ancient texts dating back 1,500 to 2,000 years, a rich literary tradition, and a distinct evolution from its ancient form to the modern version.