To mark the occasion of Marathi Rashtrabhasha Divas, Somaiya Vidyavihar organised a series of activities and workshops across their institutes. The celebrations started on February 26 and concluded on the 27th. Dr Pillai Provost, Somaiya Vidyavihar, said, “We encourage and promote our students to participate in initiatives that give them an opportunity to showcase their language and its rich cultural heritage."

All smiles: Students of K J Somaiya College of Arts and Commerce

Dr. Samruddhi Mhatre, an alumni of K J Somaiya College of Arts and Commerce addressed the students with a presentation on 'Preserving Dialects as a Cultural Heritage' in reference with the Agri folk literature; students of K J Somaiya College of Science and Commerce organised “Kalla Katta” where they performed various Marathi dances, sung songs and recited poems. The students of Arts and Commerce released a handwritten magazine ‘Ashay’ on poet G D Madgulkar, Sudhir Phadke and Snehal Bhatkar on the birth centenary year and Ram Ganesh Gadkari's 'SmrutiShatabdi year’.

K J Somaiya Institute of Engineering and Information Technology also hosted a free dialogue - 'Shabdanchya Gava Jave' by Deepali Kelkar, a renowned Marathi orator. In her conversation with the students, Deepali focused on the proper usage of the words in Marathi as well as the emotions behind using various phrases such as “Jau dey”. She also motivated the students to love their state language by saying “Read Marathi, speak Marathi and love Marathi”.

That's not all.To add to the cultural bouquet, students of K J Somaiya Vocational Training Institute performed a Lezim play, conducted a handwriting and essay writing competition and speech and elocution by keeping Marathi Bhasha Diwas as the theme of the day. As a tribute to the Marathi legend, they also performed a one-act play written by Purushottam Laxman Deshpande popularly known by his initials Pu La Deshpande.