A group of 100 tribal students from a government-aided ashramshala in Sirali, Hingoli district, Maharashtra, accomplished something that stopped the clock — they handwrote the entire Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in Sanskrit in just 15 minutes, earning a place in the India Book of Records. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis celebrated the feat on Sunday, September 27, 2026, calling it a proud introduction of a new generation committed to India's timeless cultural heritage.

700 Verses, 15 Minutes, 100 Hands Working in Unison

The students — 34 boys and 66 girls — belong to the aided tribal residential school at Sirali in Maharashtra's Hingoli district. Writing the Bhagavad Gita in Sanskrit manuscript form is no small undertaking; the text spans 18 chapters and 700 verses. Completing it collectively in 15 minutes required months of preparation, precise coordination, and deep familiarity with the classical script — a discipline that sits well beyond routine classroom learning.

The record was formally documented by the India Book of Records, the body that tracks extraordinary civilian and student achievements across the country. CM Fadnavis tagged the organisation directly in his post, amplifying the recognition to a national audience.

What Fadnavis Called 'More Than a Record'

In his post, written in Marathi, Fadnavis described the achievement as 'जिद्द, श्रद्धा आणि संस्कृतीशी नातं जपणारी विक्रमी कामगिरी' — 'a record-breaking achievement rooted in determination, devotion, and a bond with culture.' He was emphatic that the feat is not merely a competitive milestone: 'This is not just a record, but a beautiful introduction of a new generation that cherishes and proudly carries forward our eternal culture.'

The framing is deliberate and layered — tribal students from a state-aided residential school mastering Sanskrit, arguably one of India's most classical and formally taught languages, signals an intersection of grassroots education policy and heritage continuity that Maharashtra's leadership has periodically spotlighted.

Hingoli's Ashramshala in the National Spotlight

Tribal ashramshalas — government-aided residential schools designed for children from Scheduled Tribe communities — form a cornerstone of Maharashtra's tribal welfare education architecture. Hingoli, located in the Marathwada region, is among the districts where such institutions serve first-generation learners from remote communities. For a school of this profile to produce a nationally documented cultural record in Sanskrit adds an unexpected and striking dimension to the broader conversation about what tribal education can look like.

Maharashtra leaders have, over successive administrations, highlighted moments of student excellence from tribal and rural schools — but a Sanskrit scripture record from Hingoli is a particularly vivid data point in that ongoing narrative.

One hundred adolescents, a classical language, a sacred text, and fifteen minutes — Sirali just wrote its own chapter in the India Book of Records, and the Chief Minister wants the country to read it.