Mumbai: The University of Mumbai, on Tuesday, inaugurated the Swatantrya Veer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar Study and Research Centre, dedicated to the life and work of the revolutionary freedom fighter. Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attended the online launch event held at the Fort campus, and it was announced that Savarkar’s statue would soon come up at the campus.
Speaking at the event, the Governor described the initiative as a commendable effort to deepen scholarly engagement with Savarkar’s ideology and legacy. He urged for the establishment of a pan-India Savarkar circuit linking key locations associated with his life to foster historical awareness and national unity.
Mumbai University Vice-Chancellor Prof Ravindra Kulkarni said that the university has sought a Rs100 crore grant from the state government to develop the centre into a world-class facility.
CM Fadnavis highlighted the far-reaching impact of Savarkar’s contributions and said the research centre will unravel the many dimensions of his life and thoughts. “Even if scholars study each aspect of Savarkar’s life for 25 years, they will not be able to cover it all,” he said, assuring full funding support from the state government for the centre.
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Fadnavis also stated that the British government had revoked Savarkar’s barrister degree due to his revolutionary activities and that the Maharashtra government, in coordination with Mumbai University, would initiate correspondence with institutions in England to have the degree posthumously reinstated.
Higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil announced that a statue of Savarkar would soon be erected on the university’s Kalina campus. Patil also recalled Savarkar’s contribution to social reform, particularly his campaign for Dalit temple entry and inter-caste unity during his internment in Ratnagiri.
Minister of culture affairs Ashish Shelar said Savarkar’s iconic Marathi poem ‘Anadi Mi, Anant Mi…’ had inspired the state government’s newly instituted Rajya Prerna Geet Puraskar, named in honour of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. “Sambhaji Maharaj was not only a warrior but also a brilliant scholar and linguist. His legacy and Savarkar’s thoughts provide immense motivation for today’s generation,” Shelar said.
