Renaming movement awakened self-awareness among youth: F M Shinde

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: “Renaming Marathwada University after Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was not merely an administrative decision; it was a historic struggle for the self-respect, identity, and intellectual rights of the Dalit–Bahujan community. This name-change movement ignited social consciousness and self-awareness among the younger generation,” asserted renowned poet Prof F M Shinde.

A special lecture was organised in Bamu on Wednesday to celebrate the 32nd Name Extension Day of the university. Vice-Chancellor Dr Vijay Fulari presided over the event. Pro–VC Dr Walmik Sarwade, Registrar Dr Prashant Amrutkar, Management Council member Principal Dr Bharat Khandare, Dr Aparna Patil and Director of Student Development Board Dr Kailas Ambhure were prominently present.

Veteran poet Prof F M Shinde, president of the 87th Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, delivered a lecture on c “The Reality of the Name Extension Movement.”

He stated that then Chief Minister Yashwantrao Chavan established an independent university for Marathwada.

“Ideally, there should have been no opposition or agitation required to name this seat of learning after such a great man. However, certain entrenched sections opposed the renaming due to casteist mentality and cultural prejudice. The name-change struggle was not limited to an institutional issue but was deeply linked to social justice, cultural resistance, and questions of identity,” he said. VC Dr Vijay Fulari also spoke.