Office

The Ministry of Marathi Language is a ministry in government of Maharashtra. Ministry is responsible for the promotion of Marathi language in India as well as abroad. Deepak Kesarkar is current Minister for Marathi Language. Language department offers free Marathi classes to non-Marathi speakers living in Maharashtra.

Departments Ministry of Marathi Language has one key department - Marathi Bhasha Vibhag (Marathi language department). Separate administrative department was established in 2010.

Child agencies Rajya Marathi Vikas Sanstha (State Institute for Marathi Development) Maharashtra Rajy Vishawakosh Nirmiti Mandal Maharashtra Rajya Sahitya aani Sankriti Mandal Bhasha Sanchanalay (Language Directorate)

Marathi language

Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken predominantly by around 83 million Marathi people of Maharashtra, India. It is the official language and co-official language in the Maharashtra and Goa states of Western India, respectively and is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India. With 83 million speakers as 2011, Marathi ranks 10th in the list of languages with most native speakers in the world. Marathi has the third largest number of native speakers in India, after Hindi and Bengali. The language has some of the oldest literature of all modern Indian languages, dating from around 600 AD."arts, South Asian". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica 2007 Ultimate Reference Suite. The major dialects of Marathi are Standard Marathi and the Varhadi dialect. The Koli languages (Kachi Koli, Parkari Koli and Wadiyara Koli), Agri and Malvani Konkani have been heavily influenced by Marathi varieties.

Achieving classical language status In 2004, the Government of India declared that languages that met certain requirements could be accorded the status of a "Classical Language" of India. The Marathi ministry has submitted an application to the Government of India to grant classical language status to Marathi. The Government of India is considering the request.

Initiatives and activities Awards Various awards are given to exceptional people in the field of Marathi language. Yashwantrao Chavan Award Vi. Da. Karandikar Lifetime Achievement Award : Trophy and cash prize of ₹5,00,000 P. Bhagawat Award : Trophy and cash prize of ₹3,00,000 Bhasha Sanvardhan (Language Promotion) : Two cash prize awards of ₹1,00,000

Marathi language day Marathi Language Day (मराठी दिन/मराठी दिवस ) is celebrated on 27 February every year across the Indian states of Maharashtra and Goa. This day is regulated by the Ministry of Marathi language. It is celebrated on the Birthday of eminent Marathi Poet Vi. Va. Shirwadkar, popularly known as Kusumagraj.

Essay competitions and seminars are arranged in schools and colleges, and government officials are asked to conduct various events.

Use of Marathi in government offices Ministry made it compulsory to use Marathi language in all Government of Maharashtra offices.

Marathi in schools The Maharashtra Compulsory Teaching and Learning of Marathi Language in Schools Bill, 2020 was proposed by the Marathi ministry and passed by the Government of Maharashtra unanimously. Marathi language classes are mandatory in all schools of Maharashtra.

International collaboration Internationalization efforts started in 2021 to engage international Marathi diaspora. Department launched various initiatives to popularize Marathi language outside India. US Consul General was felicitated for promoting US based organizations working in Marathi language.

Cabinet Ministers No.PortraitMinisterTerm of officePolitical party MinistryChief Minister From ToPeriod Minister of Marathi Language01Vasantrao Naik 19601962Indian National Congress Yashwantrao I Yashwantrao Chavan02Nirmala Raje Bhosale 19621962Indian National Congress Yashwantrao II03Madhukar Dhanaji Chaudhari 19621963Indian National Congress Kannamwar lMarotrao Kannamwar04Parashuram Krishnaji Sawant (Interim Chief Minister)19621963Indian National Congress SawantParashuram Krishnaji Sawant05Sadashiv Govind Barve 19631967Indian National Congress Vasantrao IVasantrao Naik06Balasaheb Desai 19671969Indian National Congress Vasantrao II07Pratibha Patil 19691972Indian National Congress08Vasantrao Patil 19721973Indian National Congress Vasantrao III09Narendra Mahipati Tidke 19731974Indian National Congress10Hari Govindrao Vartak 19741975Indian National Congress11Shankarrao Chavan (Chief Minister)19751977Indian National Congress Shankarrao I Shankarrao Chavan12Nashikrao Tirpude 19771978Indian National CongressVasantdada IVasantdada Patil13Prabha Rau 19781978Indian National Congress (Indira)Vasantdada II14Ganpatrao Deshmukh 19781979Peasants and Workers Party of India Pawar ISharad Pawar15Babasaheb Bhosale 19801982Indian National Congress Antulay Abdul Rahman Antulay16Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar 19821983Indian National Congress Bhosale Babasaheb Bhosale17Prataprao Baburao Bhosale 19831985Indian National Congress Vasantdada IIIVasantdada Patil18Sudhakarrao Naik 19851985Indian National Congress Vasantdada IV19Jawaharlal Darda 19851986Indian National Congress NilangekarShivajirao Patil Nilangekar20Sushilkumar Shinde 19861988Indian National Congress Shankarrao II Shankarrao Chavan21Narendra Marutrao Kamble 19881990Indian National Congress Pawar II Sharad Pawar22Surupsingh Hirya Naik 19901991Indian National Congress Pawar III23Shivajirao Deshmukh 19911993Indian National Congress Sudhakarrao Sudhakarrao Naik24Vilasrao Deshmukh 19931994Indian National Congress Pawar IV Sharad Pawar25Babanrao Gholap 19951999Shiv Sena Joshi Manohar Joshi26Pramod Navalkar 19991999Shiv Sena Rane Narayan Rane27Sureshdada Jain 19991999Shiv Sena28 Vilasrao Deshmukh (Chief Minister)19991999Indian National Congress Deshmukh I Vilasrao Deshmukh29 Ramkrishna More 19992003Indian National Congress30 Ashok Chavan 20032004Indian National Congress Sushilkumar Sushilkumar Shinde31 Vilasrao Deshmukh (Chief Minister)20042004Indian National Congress Deshmukh II Vilasrao Deshmukh32 Ashok Chavan 20042008Indian National Congress 33 Vijaykumar Krishnarao Gavit 20082009Nationalist Congress Party Ashok IAshok Chavan34 Balasaheb Thorat 20092010Indian National Congress Ashok II35 Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil 20102014Indian National Congress Prithviraj Prithviraj Chavan36Vinod Tawde 20142019Bharatiya Janata Party Fadnavis I Devendra Fadnavis37 Devendra Fadnavis (Chief_Minister) In Charge20192019Bharatiya Janata Party Fadnavis II38Subhash Desai 20192019Shiv Sena Thackeray Uddhav Thackeray39 Subhash Desai 20192022Shiv Sena40 Eknath Shinde (Chief Minister)In Charge20222022Shiv Sena (2022–present) Eknath Eknath Shinde41Deepak Vasant Kesarkar 20222024Shiv Sena (2022–present)42Devendra Fadnavis (Chief_Minister) In Charge20242024Bharatiya Janata Party Fadnavis III Devendra Fadnavis43Uday Samant 2024IncumbentShiv Sena (Shinde Group)

Ministers of State

No.PortraitDeputy MinisterTerm of officePolitical party MinistryMinisterChief Minister From ToPeriod Deputy Minister of Marathi Language Vacant20192019NA Fadnavis IIDevendra Fadnavis Devendra Fadnavis01Vishwajeet Kadam 20192022Indian National Congress Thackeray Subhash Desai Uddhav Thackeray Vacant 20222024NA EknathEknath Shinde(2022 - 2022) Deepak Vasant Kesarkar (2022 – 2024) Eknath Shinde Vacant2024incumbentNA Fadnavis IIIUday Samant (2024 – Present) Devendra Fadnavis

List of principal secretaries

See also Marathi language Local government in Maharashtra

References

External links