Overview

• The Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar Study and Research Centre at the University of Mumbai was inaugurated on May 27 with participation from Governor Ramesh Bais and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis
• Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the state will correspond with British authorities to posthumously restore Savarkar’s barrister degree, revoked after he refused to pledge allegiance to the Crown
• The university has proposed a ₹100 crore grant to develop the centre into a world-class facility featuring classrooms, a museum of rare documents, a statue of Savarkar and a 500-to-1,000-seat auditorium
• The centre will offer programmes from certificate to doctoral levels on Savarkar’s writings, philosophy and social reform while overseeing translation of all science and technology textbooks into Marathi within two years
• Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut welcomed the degree restoration plan but urged the government to also award Savarkar the Bharat Ratna for his contributions to India’s freedom struggle and social equality