100-Year-Old Pune Woman Still Teaching Marathi Grammar—And Inspiring Generations

Pune, 30th June 2025: For most, grammar is a daunting labyrinth of rules and exceptions. But for 100-year-old Yasmin Shaikh, it is poetry in structure—a finely tuned melody woven through words. A stalwart of Marathi linguistics, Shaikh has spent over seven decades immersed in the nuances of her mother tongue, advocating for its preservation and purity.

“I don’t know if Marathi is as sweet as amrit—I’ve never tasted amrit—but to me, it is rich, expressive, and beautiful,” said Shaikh, seated comfortably at her Baner residence. “I feel it’s my duty to preserve the language’s character. With the growing influence of Hindi and English in daily conversations, we must protect Marathi from dilution.”

A Legacy Etched in Language

Born as Jerusha in Pen, Raigad, on June 21, 1925, Shaikh’s love for language began early. Her father, a government servant, nurtured her literary curiosity through frequent relocations. She later studied at SP College in Pune, where mentors like Prof. S.M. Mate and Prof. K.N. Watwe shaped her passion for grammar and linguistics.

After marrying theatre manager Aziz Ahmed Ibrahim Shaikh in 1949 and taking the name Yasmin Shaikh, her interfaith marriage drew attention. “People often assumed I was going to teach English or Urdu,” she recalled. “When they found I was the Marathi grammar teacher, many students were stunned. But once I began teaching, they stayed.”

Language, she insists, transcends religion. “I was born here. Marathi is my mother tongue. I follow only one religion—the religion of humanity,” she said, affirming her belief in sarva dharma sambhava (equal respect for all religions).

A Century of Contribution

Shaikh’s professional journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Over 34 years, she taught Marathi grammar at school and college levels, eventually heading the Marathi department at Mumbai’s SIES College. For ten years, she trained IAS aspirants at the State Institute of Administrative Careers in Mumbai.

She authored the Marathi Shabdlekhan Kosh, a widely respected dictionary on spelling and orthography, first published in 2007 and updated in 2015. She was instrumental in the creation of the Marathi Lekhan Margdarshika—a writing guide for the Rajya Marathi Vikas Sanstha—and served as a consultant for the literary magazine Antarnaad for over 15 years.

Shaikh’s editorial work extended to textbook development for Balbharati, where she contributed to functional grammar resources such as Karyatmak Vyakaran. She also served on the founding committee of the Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal, helping to draft and standardize Marathi grammar rules post-1960 when Maharashtra became a separate state.

From Sound to Structure

Shaikh’s writings reflect her philosophical take on language. “Language began as sound, evolving from hand gestures to spoken dialects. As spoken words changed rapidly, the need for scripts emerged to preserve them,” she wrote in an article for Loksatta.

She often speaks about how Marathi lacked a codified grammatical system until the British era, when they commissioned Dadoba Pandurang Tarkhadkar to organize it. He modeled it on Sanskrit grammar, including characters unused in Marathi but retained as symbolic letters.

With statehood, Shaikh and her peers introduced reforms. In 1962, the Maharashtra government approved 14 new grammar rules, later expanded in 1972. Shaikh’s book explaining these standards made them accessible to teachers, students, and writers.

A Scholar and a Symbol

Marathi language researcher Dilip Phaltankar, who has closely followed Shaikh’s work, said, “Yasmin Shaikh is more than a grammarian—she is the conscience of Marathi. Her commitment has given grammar not just structure but soul.”

Milind Joshi, president of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal, echoed the sentiment during her centenary felicitation: “Grammar is often seen as difficult, but Shaikh’s approach turned it into an art form. She made generations fall in love with the discipline.”

A Century, Still Curious

Despite turning 100, Shaikh continues to read, research, and respond to grammar queries. “I still love writing by hand. It keeps my mind active,” she smiled. “Staying engaged, doing what you love—that’s my mantra for a long, happy life.”

Known affectionately by her family as “Laughing Jerusha,” Shaikh said she never allowed hardships to cloud her joy. “Everyone faces challenges. But you must choose to focus on the light.”

Even today, she remains an active participant in linguistic discussions, often guiding students and researchers from across the globe. Her life is a reminder that language is not just a tool of communication—it is a cultural legacy, and in her case, an undying romance.

BOX: Yasmin Shaikh’s Contribution to Marathi Language

• Author of Marathi Shabdlekhan Kosh, a key reference book on Marathi spelling conventions.
• Advocate of standard Marathi usage in official and literary writing.
• Head of the Marathi department at SIES College, Mumbai.
• Trainer of civil service aspirants at SIAC, Mumbai, for a decade.
• Textbook editor for Balbharati; contributed to Karyatmak Vyakaran.
• Language consultant for Antarnaad magazine for 15 years.
• Contributor to the Marathi Lekhan Margdarshika, published by Rajya Marathi Vikas Sanstha.
• Prolific writer of grammar and language articles in Marathi journals.