Maharashtra Minister for Industries and Marathi Language Uday Samant said on Wednesday that the State government has sought land from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to build a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj riding a horse on the campus.
“We have held preliminary talks with the Vice-Chancellor and she is positive about it. 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 the land is allotted, the State government will construct the statue. There is in-principle approval for the State government’s proposal,” Mr. Samant said.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and State Cabinet Ministers will visit JNU on Thursday to inaugurate the Kusumagraj Special Centre for Marathi Language, Literature, and Culture, named after the celebrated poet and Jnanpith awardee. The centre will offer postgraduate and certificate programmes aimed at promoting multilingualism and cultural understanding.
“It will offer an MA in Marathi and certificate courses aligned with the National Education Policy, 2020 for non-Marathi speakers, such as those who speak Tamil. Notably, many students from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have opted for Tamil, and it’s common to hear Tamil being spoken during our functions. This trend is encouraging as it promotes unity and sensitivity towards other languages across the country. The State government is emphasising Marathi’s importance, especially since it has been recognised as a classical language by the Centre. It is a language known for its rich literary heritage,” JNU V-C Santishree Pandit had told reporters recently.
Mr. Fadnavis will also 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. The centre will focus on exploring indigenous strategic traditions based on the Maratha empire and aims to become a hub of military history, strategy, and future policy development rooted in India’s past.
₹10 crore allocated
The State government has allocated ₹10 crore each for both centres .The Marathi centre was announced in 2007 by then Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.
Published – July 24, 2025 01:27 am IST
