Mumbai: In a significant boost to the Maharashtra government’s efforts to promote Marathi among professional passenger transport drivers, more than one lakh non-Marathi auto and taxi drivers across the state have successfully completed functional Marathi language training under the Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Marathi Shikvani Abhiyan.Reiterating the govt’s commitment to promoting linguistic inclusivity, Marathi commission chairman Ravi Gaikwad said: “The transport department urges all remaining commercial passenger vehicle drivers to complete the programme before August 15 and help advance the campaign’s core objectives: respect for Marathi, cordial communication with passengers, and a stronger emotional bond with Maharashtra.” The transport officials will nab drivers unable to speak basic Marathi and penalise them post-August 15.Expressing satisfaction over the overwhelming response to the initiative at a media conference on Thursday, state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik said learning Marathi is not a matter of compulsion but a gesture of respect and belonging towards the state and its people. He stressed that anyone seeking employment and livelihood opportunities in Maharashtra should strive to connect with the Marathi language. “Marathi is not merely a medium of communication. It is the soul of Maharashtra’s identity, heritage and culture. Every driver who speaks a few words in Marathi with passengers becomes an ambassador of the state’s cultural values,” he said.The minister further noted that the campaign has received an enthusiastic and positive response from non-Marathi-speaking drivers, many of whom voluntarily enrolled for training. He appealed to those yet to participate to take advantage of the opportunity and complete the programme before August 15.For drivers who had enrolled for the basic Marathi course and completed it, there will be an event at Ram Ganesh Gadkari Rangayatan in Thane on August 17. This will be attended by the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, and Marathi language minister Uday Samant. Thousands of non-Marathi drivers who have successfully completed the course will be awarded certificates by the Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad.A review meeting on Thursday was attended by transport commissioner Rajesh Narvekar, senior litterateur Pradeep Dhawan, and representatives of the Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh and the Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad, which have partnered with the government in implementing the initiative statewide.Sarnaik said encouraging drivers to communicate with passengers in Marathi would not only make daily interactions easier but also strengthen social bonds and foster a sense of mutual respect. “Maharashtra will warmly embrace everyone who honours and respects Marathi. This initiative is about creating cultural harmony and emotional connect, not enforcing language through coercion,” he said. The minister observed that the campaign gained momentum following Marathi’s recognition as a classical language, inspiring thousands of non-Marathi residents to learn and appreciate the language. He described their voluntary participation as a fitting tribute to the Marathi linguistic legacy championed by Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.The campaign, jointly organised by the state’s Marathi language department, Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh, and Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad, has gradually evolved into a mass movement. According to Sarnaik, every driver who completes the training emerges not only as a compliant professional but also as a socially conscious citizen who respects Maharashtra’s cultural ethos.
