State set to get 1st ‘Marathi University’ in Bandra

Maharashtra is set to get its first ‘Marathi University’ in Bandra on the occasion of 'Marathi Language Day'. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on Tuesday, will hand over the transfer of land to Granthali, the wellknown Marathi publishing house, to set up the university in an official ceremony at Vidhan Bhavan.

The space is allotted in the upscale area of Bandstand in Bandra, the official letter of acceptance of which will be handed over to the publishing house by the CM. Ashish Shelar, Bandra legislator and president of Mumbai Bharitya Janata Party (BJP) unit, argued that the publication should get the space, as it has been nurturing reading habit among people in the state. However, there was no clarity on when the university will start its operations.

Representatives of Granthali said they had plans to set up an autonomous university for Marathi language. “The (Marathi university) library will house all books and volumes of Marathi language. Various programs for promotion of the language will also be implemented. Marathi language programs such as examination, research and writing will also be implemented through this university,” said Sudesh Hinglaspurkar, trustee of Granthali publications.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had decided to allot space in a building in Bandra West in July 2016 to Granthali. Officials from the BMC said the publishing house had written to it in April 2016, seeking the space to run such a university and research institute.

Founded in 1974, Granthali publishes Marathi books and translations from other languages. In the past 40 years, it has published more than 800 books, which also include the books written by Gulzar for children.

“There have been many languages that have had the privilege of being called as ‘classical language’. And Marathi is not one of them despite its vast literature. The university is an attempt to let people know of the great language that it is,” Hinglaspurkar said. He also added that the there are several universities and colleges dedicated to regional languages across the country but none of Marathi.

On ‘Marathi Language Day’ today, the CM will hand over the land in the upscale area of Bandstand in Bandra to Granthali, a well-known Marathi publishing house, to set up the university.