The police are searching for the two others—identified as Pande and Kiran—who were also allegedly found involved in illegal online cricket betting along with Lakhwani.
Educationists, teachers and representatives of political parties opposed the introduction of Hindi as a third language in schools from Class 1 at a public consultation meeting held in Pune by Maharashtra’s three-language formula committee led by Narendra Jadhav. Most expressed support for introduction of Hindi from Class 6 while a few others supported the government’s now-scrapped plan of introducing it from Class 1.
After the government’s move to introduce Hindi as a compulsory third language in schools in the state backfired in April due to heavy criticism from educationists, language experts, and political parties, a state level committee was formed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, which was led by educationist Jadhav, to submit a report on the issue. The committee consists of educationists, linguists, and child psychiatrists.
Speakers at the meeting were asked about their views on whether Hindi should be introduced in schools from Class 1, 3, 6, or 9 onwards. They were also asked if conversational Hindi should be introduced at an earlier stage instead of a formal examination.
Nandkumar Sagar, state secretary, Maharashtra State Secondary and Higher Secondary School Headmaster’s Association, said a third language can put more load on students and accordingly Hindi should be introduced from Class 6. Conversational Hindi is not required to be introduced at earlier grades, he said.
Dr Noor Jahan Shaikh from the Spoken Marathi Academy at Azam Campus said the mother tongue or Marathi should be the only language introduced from Class 1. “For Class 3 English can be introduced as it is the language of business and the world. From Class 6 onwards Hindi can be taught. Later, options for third languages like Urdu and others should also be given.”
Educationists like Vasant Kalpande, Bhau Gawande, Shivaji Kamthe, Prasad Gaikwad, Mahendra Ganpule, and Nandkumar Sagar also supported the introduction of Hindi from Class 6 onwards. However, social worker Girish Prabhune said children in schools run by him do not have a problem learning multiple languages at once. A few others suggested that Hindi should not be introduced as a third language at all, while a few suggested that languages other than Hindi should also be allowed as the third language.
Anand Katikar, Professor at Department of Marathi at Fergusson College, opined that even though English was introduced in 2000 as an optional language, it has now become compulsory with exams from Class 1 onwards. He said, “What have we achieved with English education from Class 1? A survey should be done first. After that, the policy should be decided. There is no problem with Hindi being conversational from Class 3 and formal from Class 9. Teachers should also be trained for this.”
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Several representatives of political parties also turned up at the meeting to express their views. BJP Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni said, “In my many years of experience as a teacher I have observed that kids have a great ability to absorb things. Maybe teachers or the system face pressure in teaching but the kids do not. I can give the example of my own grandchild who is able to name countries on the world map.”
Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting.
Professional Background
Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune.
Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics.
Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories:
1. Investigations & Governance
"Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents.
"44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families.
2. Education & Campus Life
Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University.
"Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial.
"Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers.
3. Human Rights & Social Issues
"Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India.
"'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying.
Signature Style
Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty.
X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More
