UP Man Starts Marathi Academy In Pune As Language Becomes Driver Requirement; Over 100 Enrol

Pune: As Maharashtra tightens its requirement for public transport drivers to have a working knowledge of Marathi, a Pune-based academy is helping adults overcome their hesitation and learn the language through everyday conversations.

The Maharashtra Marathi Speaking Academy (MMSA), founded by 39-year-old Anil Kumar Mishra, a native of Uttar Pradesh, has seen its student strength grow from around 20 when it began to more than 100 today. The academy, based in Wagholi, caters to IT professionals, corporate employees, business owners, homemakers, students, auto-rickshaw drivers, cab drivers and people working in various service sectors.

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Mishra said, “Marathi should not feel like a difficult language for anyone who lives and works in Maharashtra.” He said many people who move to Pune for work want to communicate with neighbours, colleagues, shopkeepers, auto-rickshaw drivers, and local service providers but hesitate because they do not know where to begin.

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Anil Pawar, 34, an auto-rickshaw driver in Pune, said knowing Marathi makes communication with passengers easier. “We meet different kinds of people every day. Many passengers speak Marathi, so knowing the language helps us understand them better and avoid confusion. I think it is useful for our work,” he said.

The academy focuses mainly on spoken Marathi, teaching daily-use sentences, pronunciation, vocabulary and conversations instead of relying heavily on grammar lessons. “The biggest challenge is usually lack of a platform to learn and speak, along with lack of confidence; not lack of intelligence or ability,” Mishra said.

The growing demand also comes at a time when the state government has made Marathi proficiency an important requirement for commercial passenger vehicle drivers. Under the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026, drivers of autorickshaws, taxis and app-based motor cabs are required to have a “working knowledge of Marathi”. The requirement also applies to permit holders and permit renewals. If a driver is found lacking the required knowledge, the licensing authority can give a one-month period to acquire it. Failure to comply can lead to suspension of the driving authorisation for up to three months, while continued non-compliance can result in its revocation, after giving the driver an opportunity to be heard.

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However, for Mishra, learning Marathi is not only about meeting a government requirement. “I don’t see Marathi learning as an obligation. I see it as a form of integration and mutual respect,” he said.

Tejas Yadav, 31, an auto-rickshaw driver who learnt Marathi after coming to Pune, said the language has helped him in his everyday interactions. “When I first came to Pune, I could understand only a little Marathi. I found it difficult to speak with passengers and local people. After learning Marathi, I became more comfortable. Now I can speak with passengers, understand their directions, and manage my daily conversations without depending on Hindi or English,” he said.

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Mishra recalled the example of a homemaker from Rajasthan who initially could not understand Marathi but gradually became confident enough to use it in her daily life after joining the course. “When a student who once hesitated to speak Marathi starts using it confidently in real life, that is the real success of our academy,” he said.

The academy charges ₹2,499 for its two-month course and offers both offline and online classes. Its next batch will begin on August 24.

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