Speak Marathi

Why
Speak Marathi?

Speak Marathi was created to bring non-Marathi speakers closer to their Marathi speaking families. Simply put, we offer virtual lessons to teach Marathi to learners of all levels, from all over the world. But we’re much more than that.

The concept for Speak Marathi originated when we noticed the difficulty faced by children being brought up outside India while trying to talk to their families back  in India. English was their primary language, at school, with their friends, and at home with their parents. When they would talk to their grandparents back in India, there was always a divide. Aji – Ajoba knew some English, but so much was lost in translation.

Some tried to attend weekend classes to learn Marathi, but their teaching styles were far too complicated. Reading and writing the script was a skill they didn’t find much use for in their lives outside of India. Parents eventually gave up, resigned to the fact that their children wouldn’t be speaking the language of their homeland.

This is where we came in. What if we could teach Marathi to primarily English speakers, without having to get into the complicated grammar and entirely new script? What if we could create a structured lesson plan to teach spoken and colloquial Marathi to enrich conversations with loved ones? It seemed like a great idea.

So that’s exactly what we did.

Our
Vision

We believe that a native language is the best way to connect to family members, especially from older generations.

Through Speak Marathi, we want to close the gap between non-Marathi speakers and their Marathi speaking families and friends. We want children to be able to speak to their grandparents in their native tongue.  Our goal is for multilingual and cross-cultural families to create a bond with their motherland. 

To put it plainly, we want to bring people closer together, without a language coming in the way.

Our
Team

Our most important asset is our team. We are all native Marathi speakers, who feel strongly about introducing this language into the lives of others. We’ve grown up with this language, and have enjoyed bonding with our grandparents and families over it: an experience we want to share with you.

Aditi Kothekar: Speak Marathi founder

Aditi – Founder
The one that wears a dozen different hats; and pulls them all off spectacularly! Aditi was brought up outside of Maharashtra, and had first-hand experience of the difficulties faced while trying to learn Marathi without the perfect environment. The idea of Speak Marathi is rooted in her experiences, and she leads the entire team like a close-knit family. Aditi has been in the field of language training for over 10 years now, and speaks 7 languages herself!

Akshata

Administrative Head & Language Trainer

Akshata is the go-to person for all things admin. She lives in the heart of Pune city, and has grown up speaking Marathi, leaving her with an incredibly strong command over it. She has been a language trainer for over 4 years, and also has experience in early childhood education. Akshata is a friend to her students, and her cheerful demeanour always makes her classes something to look forward to!

Rujuta

Curriculum Developer & Language Trainer

Rujuta plays an important role on the team. She’s in charge of the entire curriculum for Speak Marathi and works with immense finesse and attention to detail. She brings her experience as a native Marathi speaker and 3 years of language training to create immersive lessons and activities for learners of all ages. Rujuta speaks 5 languages including Mandarin and German!

Abha

Media Manager & Language Trainer

Abha is the mind behind Speak Marathi’s communications. She freelances as a writer and enjoys teaching the languages she has fallen in love with. When she’s not working, Abha can be found somewhere in the outdoors, climbing rocks.

Sanhita

Language Trainer

Sanhita is a language trainer with years of experience. She is a classroom favourite, and is loved by all of her students. She is excellent at teaching learners from all age groups, right from preschoolers, and finds a special way to connect with each one. She’s also a classically trained singer, who loves music and enjoys good food!

Saloni

Language Trainer

Saloni is a business administration graduate from Northeastern University in Boston whose love for travelling has made her friends from cultures and countries across the globe. She feels passionately about Marathi and is enthusiastic to share her knowledge and experiences with new learners!

Deepa

Language Trainer

Deepa is an ex-banker who finds that teaching helps her understand a language from a different perspective. Teaching is a stress-buster for her and enables her to strike a work-life balance. She makes it a point to customise her sessions according to each student. Deepa is a food critic and blogger, who is usually either cooking up a storm or exploring new restaurants.

Saee

Language Trainer

Saee loves the uniqueness of her mother tongue, and considers teaching a way to stay in touch with it while living in Germany. She has a background in philosophy and logic, and enjoys the look on her students faces' when they finally understand a complex concept. Saee reads, listens to podcasts and dabbles in backyard ornithology in her free time. 

Know more about our classes