“I will prioritize my mother tongue first”

• On the Marathi language controversy, JNU Vice-Chancellor expresses her view!

• Also highlighted that it was the Maratha Empire that resisted the Mughals !

‘JNUs’ Vice-Chancellor Prof. Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit

New Delhi – “Marathi, like other languages, has its own unique concepts and richness. It was the Maratha Empire that opposed the Mughals, and understanding this part of history is important,” stated Professor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). She was responding to the ongoing debate in Maharashtra regarding the use of Hindi versus Marathi. While speaking about the Marathi language, she added, “I will always prioritize my mother tongue first, because it is the most important. The other 2 languages should be those used in your daily affairs.”

#WATCH | Delhi | On Marathi language row, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice-Chancellor Prof Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit says, "I would go with mother tongue first because mother tongue is the most important. The other two languages should be your market language. Wherever… pic.twitter.com/8fCcNRl1UL

— ANI (@ANI) July 22, 2025

Further remarks from Vice-Chancellor Prof. Santishree:

1.“Wherever you live, you should learn the local language and the language of your profession. This should be a personal choice for every citizen.”

2.“All Indian languages are valuable. In a multilingual society, the number of speakers does not matter. Language should never be used as a tool for hatred or superiority; it should be a medium of communication.”

3.“I encourage everyone to learn as many Indian languages as possible. There is an immense treasure of literature and knowledge. Even though Indian literature has been written in many different languages, we are united.”