Type: | ministry |
Ministry of Marathi Language, Government of Maharashtra | |
Native Name: | मंत्रालय मराठी भाषा विभाग, महाराष्ट्र शासन |
Seal: | Seal_of_Maharashtra.svg |
Jurisdiction: | Republic of India |
Picture Caption: | Building of Administrative Headquarters of Mumbai |
Headquarters: | Mantralay, Mumbai |
Region Code: | IN |
Minister1 Name: | Deepak Kesarkarsince 29 June 2022 |
Minister1 Pfo: | Cabinet Minister |
Deputyminister1 Name: | since 29 June 2022 |
Child1 Agency: | Rajya Marathi Vikas Sanstha [1] |
Child2 Agency: | Bhasha Sanchnalay |
Parent Department: | Government of Maharashtra |
Border: | parliamentary |
Minister: | not_prime |
Insignia: | Seal of Maharashtra (1).svg |
Insigniasize: | 150px |
Insigniacaption: | Emblem of India |
Department: | Ministry of Marathi Language (Maharashtra) |
Style: | The Honourable |
Incumbent: | Deepak Kesarkar |
Incumbentsince: | 14 August 2022 |
Member Of: | State Cabinet |
Seat: | Mantralaya, Mumbai |
Appointer: | Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister |
Termlength: | 5 years |
Deputy: | Vacant since 29 June 2022 |
Formation: | 1 May 1960 |
Flag: | Flag of India.svg |
Flagsize: | 110px |
Flagcaption: | Flag of India |
Flagborder: | yes |
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.
Ministry of Marathi Language has one key department - Marathi Bhasha Vibhag (Marathi language department). Separate administrative department was established in 2010.[2]
See main article: 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.[7] The language has some of the oldest literature of all modern Indian languages, dating from around 600 AD.[8] The major dialects of Marathi are Standard Marathi and the Varhadi dialect.[9] The Koli languages (Kachi Koli, Parkari Koli and Wadiyara Koli), Agri and Malvani Konkani have been heavily influenced by Marathi varieties.
In 2004, the Government of India declared that languages that met certain requirements could be accorded the status of a "Classical Language" of India.[10] The Marathi ministry has submitted an application to the Government of India to grant classical language status to Marathi.[11] [12] The Government of India is considering the request.[13] [14] [15]
Various awards are given to exceptional people in the field of Marathi language.
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.[20] [21]
Essay competitions and seminars are arranged in schools and colleges, and government officials are asked to conduct various events.[22]
Ministry made it compulsory to use Marathi language in all Government of Maharashtra offices.[23] [24]
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.[25] [26] [27]
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.[28]
No. | Portrait | Deputy Minister | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Minister | Chief Minister | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
From | To | Period | ||||||||
Deputy Minister of Marathi Language | ||||||||||
Vacant | 2019 | 2019 | NA | Fadnavis II | Devendra Fadnavis | Devendra Fadnavis | ||||
01 | Vishwajeet Kadam | 2019 | 2022 | Indian National Congress | Thackeray | Subhash Desai | Uddhav Thackeray | |||
Vacant | 2022 | Incumbent | NA | Eknath |
| Eknath Shinde | ||||