Marathi

Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by approximately 83 million people, primarily in the Indian state of Maharashtra where it is the official language. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and the third most spoken language in the country. Marathi has a literary tradition dating back to the thirteenth century and is written in the Devanagari script.

In Australia, Marathi speakers number approximately 18,000 according to the 2021 Census, with the community growing rapidly through skilled migration, particularly in IT, engineering, healthcare, and professional services. The community is concentrated in Sydney and Melbourne, with growing populations in Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide. Marathi-speaking Australians are predominantly from Maharashtra's urban centres, particularly Mumbai and Pune.

Marathi shares the Devanagari script with Hindi and Nepali, but is a distinct language with its own grammar, vocabulary, and literary tradition. The language features three grammatical genders (masculine, feminine, neuter — unlike Hindi's two), an elaborate case system, and vocabulary that draws from both Sanskrit and regional Prakrit sources.

The Marathi-Australian community is generally young, well-educated, and professionally engaged, with high English proficiency. Cultural identity centres on Maharashtra's rich traditions including festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi and Gudi Padwa, Marathi literature and theatre, and the community's distinctive culinary traditions.

For organisations, Marathi serves a growing Indian language community. While high English proficiency means translation demand is selective, Marathi-language options demonstrate cultural respect and improve engagement with community organisations and cultural events.