The long-pending demand of the Maharashtrian community in London to have their own cultural centre has finally been fulfilled. A cheque of ₹5 crore, sanctioned by the Government of Maharashtra for the construction of ‘Maharashtra Bhavan,’ was today handed over by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to Maharashtra Mandal London Trustee, Vaibhav Khandge, at Sahyadri Guest House.
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, Industries and Marathi Language Minister Uday Samant, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif, Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan, Forest Minister Ganesh Naik, School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse, and Chief Secretary Rajesh Kumar remained present on this occasion.
On behalf of Maharashtra Mandal London, Trustee Vaibhav Khandge expressed heartfelt gratitude towards the Maharashtra Government and especially Ajit Pawar for taking special efforts to get this fund sanctioned. “For years, we have demanded our own cultural centre in London. It is only due to the initiative of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar that this dream has come true today. This is indeed a historic moment for us,” Khandge said.
Maharashtra Mandal London is the oldest Marathi organization outside India, established in 1932 by Dr. N. C. Kelkar, personal secretary to Mahatma Gandhi. Functioning on rented premises since its inception, the Mandal will now finally have its own building. The upcoming ‘Maharashtra Bhavan’ will not only serve as a cultural hub for the Marathi community in London but also as a platform to strengthen cultural and social ties between the Government of Maharashtra and the United Kingdom.
