In a significant move, the Maharashtra government has decided to rename Pune International Airport, located in Lohegaon, after Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj, a revered saint in the Warkari tradition. This decision was announced by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday, following a state cabinet meeting.
The proposal to change the airport’s name was put forward by Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, who hails from Pune. He emphasized that Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj was born and spent his childhood in Lohegaon, making the renaming a fitting tribute to the saint. Mohol also highlighted the support for the change from the local community and the Warkari community, who hold Tukaram Maharaj in high esteem.
The state government has approved the proposal and will now send it to the central government for final approval. “The first step towards renaming the international airport in Pune as ‘Jagadguru Santshrestha Tukaram Maharaj Pune International Airport’ has been taken today and the proposal given by us has been approved by the state government,” Mohol stated in a post on X.
Beyond the airport renaming, the Maharashtra cabinet also approved a Guaranteed Progression Scheme for Children’s Homes Observatory staff, added three Kunbi sub-castes to the Other Backward Classes list, established a District and Additional Sessions Court at Junnar, and greenlighted the construction of a Greenfield Expressway from Shirur to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
