How a Marathi Linguaphile Kept Her Love for Grammar Alive for a Century

Language lovers often find themselves lost in the labyrinthine rules of grammar. But Yasmin Shaikh, an acclaimed grammarian and Marathi language expert, has always viewed grammar as "delicate and poetic, akin to a well-composed verse".

- Nadeem Inamdar and Niraj Pandit

PUNE/MUMBAI:

Pune-based Shaikh, who turned 100 last week, has spent over seven decades immersed in the elegance and intricacies of Marathi grammar, championing it with unwavering devotion. She looks upon the language as an inheritance which must be preserved in its pristine form. "I am a humble admirer of Marathi. It is my mother tongue, and my love for it is deeply rooted," Shaikh said, sitting at her Baner home. "I believe it is my responsibility to protect and nurture it. Today, the younger generation's speech is heavily influenced by Hindi and English. Hence, we must strive to prevent its dilution and distortion. I cannot say if Marathi is as sweet as amrit, since I have never tasted amrit, but to me, Marathi is beautiful, rich and full of meaning."

She has spent over three decades teaching the language in schools and colleges; trained candidates for civil services; edited textbooks; authored the Marathi Shabdlekhan Kosh; was a member of the Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal when it was first set up in the early 1960s; and contributed to many journals.

While felicitating the centenarian on her birthday last week, Milind Joshi, president of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal, said: "Grammar is often seen as complicated, but Shaikh taught it with the grace and flow of poetry. She instilled linguistic awareness in society and made a significant contribution to the intellectual fabric of the state."

Born as Jerusha into a Jewish family in Pen on June 21, 1925, a town nestled in the Raigad district of Konkan region. Her father worked for the government and was frequently transferred. While the family moved often, her love for words remained a constant, her father supporting her literary quests. That early exposure to literature became the bedrock of a lifelong passion for language.