Archive · 22 Jun 2025
Poet Returns State Award to Protest Hindi Language Policy
Hemant Divate, a poet, is giving back his state award.
He's doing this to show he disagrees with the government's decision to make Hindi a mandatory language in some schools.
This means kids in lower grades in Marathi and English schools will have to learn Hindi.
Divate won the award, called Kavi Keshavsut Puraskar, in 2021 for his book of poems named 'Paranoia'.
He shared his decision on social media, returning the award and the money that came with it.
Poet Hemant Divate is returning a Maharashtra state award.
The protest is against the imposition of Hindi in schools.
Hindi will be the third language in classes 1-5 in Marathi and English medium schools.
Divate received the Kavi Keshavsut Puraskar in 2021.
The award was for his poetry collection, 'Paranoia'.
- Who
- Hemant Divate, a poet, and the Maharashtra State Government.
- What
- Poet Hemant Divate is returning the Maharashtra State Government award.
- When
- The decision was recently announced.
- Where
- Maharashtra
- Why
- As a protest against imposing Hindi as a third language in primary schools.
Those Protesting
No opposing viewpoints
Language Policy
Those Protesting
The imposition of Hindi as a third language is not supported
No opposing viewpoints
No opposing viewpoint was present in the provided articles
- Award Name
- Kavi Keshavsut Puraskar
- Year Awarded
- 2021
- Award Recipient
- Hemant Divate
- Awarded For
- Poetry collection 'Paranoia'
- Reason for Return
- Protest against Hindi imposition