The Maharashtra government will set up an independent research centre at the Mumbai-based P. L. Deshpande Maharashtra Kala Academy to facilitate in-depth academic study of the state’s experimental arts, Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar announced on Thursday.
The centre will be named after the legendary Marathi folk artist Shahir Krishnarao Sable, renowned for his iconic song Jai Jai Maharashtra Majha — officially recognised as the state song in 2023. A Padma Shri awardee (1998), Sable was a prominent figure in Maharashtra’s folk art tradition and played a key role in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement.
“Maharashtra boasts a rich legacy of experimental arts, and this centre will serve as a hub for scholarly research,” Mr. Shelar said. The state’s Department of Cultural Affairs has already documented various folk art forms —including shahiri, powada, jagran, gondhal, tamasha, vag natya, dashavatari, bharud, and keertan — in audio-visual formats through collaborations with universities.
“There is a pressing need to systematically classify, analyse, and academically explore these resources,” the minister stated. The initiative aims to support undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD scholars from Maharashtra and beyond who wish to delve into this field.
