Centre has notified grant of classical language status to Marathi: Maharashtra minister Uday Samant

The demand to include Marathi in the list of India’s classical languages had been pending for 11 years.

Sadanand More, chairperson of the Maharashtra State Board of Literature and Culture, was also present at the meeting, following which Shekhawat handed over the notification to Samant.

“I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shekhawat ji for issuing the official notification granting classical status to Marathi. I will submit whatever proposals are necessary in the next eight to fifteen days. A study is being conducted under the chairmanship of Sadanand More. Shekhawat has assured us of funding for it,” said Samant.

Samant added that Shekhawat would visit Pune on January 31, February 1, and 2 for the inauguration of the Marathi World Conference.

“Today, on behalf of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and the cabinet, I thank Shekhawat. We will strive to preserve and promote the Marathi language at the international level. I also thank all the writers who have worked to achieve the status of a classical language,” the minister said.

“A decision was made last year to provide a fund of Rs 2 crore to the Sahitya Sammelan. Similarly, the same fund will be allocated this year as well. There are Marathi schools in Delhi and other areas, and we are also working to strengthen those schools,” he added.

For his part, Sadanand More said he had been working for the Marathi language for many years. “I also wrote the article Garja Maharashtra. This language has a history of 2,000 to 2,500 years. Maharashtra Prakrit has influenced Sanskrit literature. It will now be possible to work for Maharashtra Prakrit and the Marathi language. It is gratifying that the earlier version of the Marathi language, known as Prakrit, has also been granted the status of a classical language,” he said.