State of Marathi Manoos when Maharashtra turns fifty

Before 1960, a bulk of commercial activity was in the hands
of non-Maharashtrians : Gujaratis, Marwaris, Khojas, Bohras, Sindhis, Parsis and
Punjabis. That is true today as well.

With the exception of the Kirloskars, no Marathi-owned
company figures prominently in the country’s corporate world. The Marathas, who
dominate politics and therefore hold the bureaucracy in a tight grip, have done
pretty well for themselves. Political clout has enabled them to operate in areas
where the resources of the state can be manipulated for personal gain: real
estate, agricultural cooperatives and educational institutions.

In national politics, too, there is no Maharashtrian with an
all-India appeal. That requires a reputation for intellectual rigour, personal
integrity and a steadfast commitment to a set of ideas and principles. The last
politician with such a reputation was Y. B. Chavan. Much the same conspicuous
absence can be found in areas of scientific and artistic endeavour. How many
Marathi-speakers have emerged as national, let alone international, icons? In
some fields notably classical music and cricket you can cite three or four
names. Add to that a couple of scientists and writers. In the upper echelons of
the armed forces and civil services, in think tanks and prestigious
universities, in the national media and in the entertainment business too,
Maharashtrians are few and far between.

Unable or unwilling to accept why things have come to this
pass above all, an aversion to risk and adventure most Maharashtrians prefer to
rail against the world. Those who exploit Marathi grievances for short-term
political gains are content to promote vada-pao, force shop-owners to put up
signs in Marathi and compel taxi drivers from outside the state to speak the
language. Such swagger in an urban, increasingly cosmopolitan India invites
ridicule.