Professor leads resistance against Hindi imposition

India Jul 03, 2025

Maharashtra is buzzing over a new rule to make Hindi mandatory as a third language in schools, and not everyone's on board.
Deepak Pawar, a political science professor at the University of Mumbai, is leading the fight against it.
He believes language shouldn't be used to dominate culture and says this protest is about protecting Maharashtra's unique identity and rights.

Who gets to decide what students learn?

Since April 16, Pawar's campaign has rallied linguists, educators, activists—and even rival political parties like the Communist Party and Shiv Sena.
It's sparked big debates across the state about who gets to decide what students learn and how language shapes local culture.
As Pawar puts it, this protest is about preserving the state's federal spirit.