The Maharashtra government has sought land from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to install a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on horseback, as announced by the state minister for Industries and Marathi Language, Uday Samant, on Wednesday, July 23
“We have held preliminary talks with the vice-chancellor and she is positive about it,” Samant said, as reported by The Hindu.
“A statue of our most revered king in this renowned university will help spread the importance of his valour and Maratha history on a national platform, given the university’s key position in the academic world. Once land is allotted, the state will construct the statue. There is in-principle approval for the proposal,” he added.
Today, July 24, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, along with other cabinet ministers, will visit JNU to inaugurate the Kusumagraj Special Centre for Marathi Language, Literature, and Culture, named after the celebrated poet and Jnanpith awardee. The centre aims to promote multilingualism and cultural understanding through postgraduate and certificate courses.
“It will offer an MA in Marathi and certificate courses aligned with the National Education Policy 2020, especially for non-Marathi speakers such as those who speak Tamil,” JNU Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit said.
“Many students from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are opting for Tamil, and it’s heartening to hear Tamil spoken at our events. This reflects a growing unity and sensitivity towards India’s linguistic diversity,” she added.
The Maharashtra government has allocated Rs 10 crore for the Marathi centre. It was originally announced in 2007 by then Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.
Additionally, Fadnavis will lay the foundation stone for the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Special Centre for Security and Strategic Studies, which will function under JNU’s School of International Studies, added The Hindu.
