Navi Mumbai, October 7, 2026: Marathi, as a mother tongue, is one of the most effective ways of connecting people and should be used with pride in everyday life, said noted speaker and author Dr Sanjay Upadhye while addressing a gathering in Navi Mumbai on Wednesday.
Upadhye was speaking at an interactive session on ‘Mother Tongue and Mental Peace’, organised by the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) to mark the Classical Marathi Language Week. The programme also marked the launch of various initiatives planned by the civic body to promote and preserve Marathi.
"Just as we love our mother, we must also love our mother tongue, Marathi. If Marathi is spoken in every household, it will not only strengthen family bonds but also enrich society," Upadhye said.
Promoting Marathi Usage
Speaking in his characteristic informal and humorous style, Upadhye used examples from everyday life to highlight the richness of the Marathi language. His interaction with the audience alternated between humour and introspection, as he urged people to take personal responsibility for the use and growth of the language.
"It is not enough to blame others for the decline of a language. Unless we ourselves feel an inner sense of pride in Marathi and use it effectively in our daily lives, nothing will change," he said.
Upadhye said people should reflect on what they were actually doing for the language instead of merely celebrating Marathi Language Week. He suggested that Marathi could be preserved naturally through everyday forms of expression such as humour, poetry and conversation.
He also urged Marathi speakers to consciously converse in Marathi with others. According to him, such an approach would encourage people who do not know the language to learn it.
"Language connects two people like plaster between two bricks. Marathi gives immense happiness, but we must learn to experience and share that happiness," he said.
Praise For NMMC
Upadhye also praised the NMMC headquarters and its functioning, saying he was impressed by the civic body's clean and attractive premises. He said he would make it a point to speak about Navi Mumbai's distinctiveness at his future speaking engagements and described NMMC employees as fortunate to have the opportunity to work in the city.
Navi Mumbai Mayor Sujata Patil said language was not merely a means of communication but also a way of preserving the soul of a culture and its historical heritage.
"Using our mother tongue in our daily lives can make life more meaningful and joyful," she said. Patil also recalled her recent visit to the United States to represent Navi Mumbai at an international water conference, saying she was proud to witness the respect and goodwill enjoyed by Navi Mumbai at the international level.
Officials Stress Daily Use
NMMC Commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde highlighted the diversity and distinctive features of Marathi. Referring to the principle that anything stops progressing when its use declines, he stressed the need to continue using Marathi in everyday communication.
"We must make individual and collective efforts to take the Marathi language to greater heights," Shinde said.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Sunil Pawar described Marathi as a language rooted in people's relationship with their soil and urged citizens to speak, write and read Marathi in their everyday lives.
"As long as the Wari of Lord Vitthal continues, the Marathi language will remain vibrant," Pawar said, while welcoming the enthusiastic response from citizens to the programmes organised by NMMC during Classical Marathi Language Week.
Deputy Mayor Dashrath Bhagat, Additional Municipal Commissioners Dr Rahul Gethe, Deputy Commissioner Dr Sanjay Shinde, Dr Amol Palve, Dr Ajay Gadge, Smita Kale, Chief Legal Officer Abhay Jadhav and other officials, employees and citizens were present at the programme.
Upcoming Marathi Week Programme
The next programme under the week-long initiative will be held at 10.30 am on Thursday, October 8, at the Knowledge Centre at NMMC headquarters. Author and speaker Vivek Mehetre will deliver a lecture on ‘Effective Use of AI in Official Marathi Work’.
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Entry to the programme is free and citizens have been invited to attend.
NMMC has also extended the deadline for participation in the Marathi Slogan/Message Competition organised for citizens and NMMC officers and employees.
The deadline, earlier set as October 7, has now been extended to October 12 following requests from citizens.
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