A large share of India’s teachers and researchers think, teach and write most naturally in their mother tongue. Research written in Marathi, Hindi and other Indian languages carries local knowledge, cultural context and community voices that are often lost in translation. Yet many scholars feel unsure about how to present regional-language research to meet academic standards.
This guide offers practical advice for writing and publishing quality research in Indian languages.
Why regional-language research matters
- It reaches the people it is about. A study on farmers in Barshi taluka, written in Marathi, can be read by local officers, extension workers and the farmers themselves.
- Some subjects need the language. Studies of Marathi literature, folk traditions, oral history or Sanskrit texts are often best written in the language of the material.
- It supports national policy. The National Education Policy 2020 encourages teaching and learning in Indian languages, which naturally extends to research and academic writing.
Follow the same academic structure
A research paper in Marathi or Hindi should follow the same structure as an English paper:
- Title (शीर्षक)
- Abstract (सारांश) and keywords (मुख्य शब्द / बीज शब्द)
- Introduction (प्रस्तावना)
- Objectives (उद्दिष्टे / उद्देश्य)
- Research methodology (संशोधन पद्धती / शोध प्रविधि)
- Analysis and discussion (विश्लेषण व चर्चा)
- Conclusion (निष्कर्ष)
- References (संदर्भ सूची)
Reviewers judge regional-language papers by the same standards: clear objectives, sound methods and conclusions supported by evidence.
Handling technical terms
One of the biggest challenges is terminology. Should you write “crop concentration index” in English or translate it? A practical approach:
- Use the established term in your language if one exists and is commonly understood in your discipline.
- The first time you use a technical term, give the English equivalent in brackets. For example: पीक केंद्रीकरण निर्देशांक (Crop Concentration Index).
- Be consistent. Once you choose a term, use it throughout the paper.
- The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT) publishes standard glossaries of technical terms in Indian languages, which can help you choose accepted terms.
Fonts and typing
Always type in Unicode fonts (for example, Mangal, Nirmala UI or Noto Sans Devanagari). Older non-Unicode fonts may look correct on your computer but turn into unreadable symbols when the journal opens the file, converts it to PDF or publishes it online. Unicode text also makes your paper searchable on the internet.
Provide an English abstract
Many journals ask for an English title and abstract in addition to the regional-language version. This helps your work reach researchers who cannot read the language and helps databases index it. Have the English abstract checked by someone familiar with your field, because automatic translations often distort technical meaning.
References
You can cite sources in any language. For regional-language sources in the reference list, give the details as they appear in the original. If the journal requires it, add a transliteration or translation of the title. Follow one reference style consistently, as you would in English.
Avoid translation plagiarism
Translating someone else’s English paper into Marathi or Hindi and presenting it as your own is plagiarism, even if no software flags it. Always cite the original source when you use ideas or data from another language.
Choosing where to publish
Look for journals that clearly state they accept papers in your language, have editors and reviewers who read that language, and publish full articles (not just abstracts) in it. Multidisciplinary journals that accept English, Hindi and Marathi papers are a good option for scholars in Maharashtra and neighbouring regions.
Final thought
Good research is good research in any language. Writing in your mother tongue can bring clarity and depth to your work. With the same care for structure, evidence and referencing, regional-language research can stand alongside any paper in English.
— Editorial Team, Imaginative Ink Publications