1986 – 1992 - Woodbine / Vanier Secondary School North York Board of Education. North York, Ontario. Canada:

This activity was so successful that Sunanda Tumne spearheaded the “Marathi Shala” ” project that Marathi classes should start under Canada’s Heritage Language Program. Dr. Madhav Khandekar took keen interest in this step. In the fall of 1986, two Marathi classes started for age group 4-12. Third class started for age group 14 –18 children since Heritage Language Program was restricted up to regular day school grade 8 students. Two more classes started In Mississauga, at T.L Kennedy School under the International Language Program with Peel Board Of Education.

Dr. Madhav Khandekar worked as a MBM Marathi Shala co-coordinator from 1986-1992. The classroom program was structured in to three Level – Basic, Intermediate and Advance Levels.

Shalan Khandekar, Sudhana Ranade, Sunanda Tumne, Keshav Godse, Lalita Godse, Mangala Junnarkar, Vinita Ratnaparakhe, Meena Gandhi and Sumitra Thakur served as teachers who took tremendous efforts and energy to carry out these teaching program activities. All students, their parents, teachers and Marathi Bhashik Mandal of Toronto supported the program with whole heart and dedication. The main focus was on four R’s of Marathi Language – reading writing, speaking and understanding. Along with Marathi Language learning; children enjoyed cooking lessons, music lessons and gym classes. Students learned Marathi games such as Kho Kho, Hututu, Ram Ravan, Talyat-Malyat and Lagori, Surya Namaskars and Yoga. Total of 87 children registered and had taken advantages of Marathi school during year 1986-1992. Half an hour of Gym time helped the students to learn Marathi through Marathi games and build a very strong youth friendship by participations.

1986:

Asha Pawagi suggested a novel idea of Marathi Children’s Outdoors camp that became a grand success. Total of 50 children attended the three days summer camp. Fifteen parents volunteered as councilors. Shashi Karandikar taught Yoga classes. Children enjoyed Yoga, games of Hu Tu Tu, Viti Dandu and Lagori. A bon fire was lit and children presented humorous Marathi skits.

Now Marathi Bhashik Mandal, Inc has taken up responsibility of this Youth activity as a regular summer camp and MBM manages this camp very well.

1987:

Twenty-five teenage children rehearsed and performed full-length Marathi drama ““Premachya Gava Jave”” at Diwali program. Shalan Khandekar, Sudhana Ranade and Leena Ghanekar produced, directed and coordinated the play. This play was unique because of the character casting. Set of students who performed characters in the first act was replaced by another group of students in the second act. That way more students could participate and fewer lines to memorize. Younger group of students performed a short One-act play called, “Shakti Peksha Yukti Shreshth”.” Mrs. Watave wrote the short play. Rajashree Manohar coordinated the play. Both plays received an overwhelming response and applause from the audience. 

1990:

Grade 10 OAC (Ontario Credit Course) credit course was developed and taught by Sunanda Tumne. This course was credited towards regular Ontario daytime high school credit course system. Twelve students took advantage of this course. Five mature non-Marathi adult students enrolled in the this Marathi class. Grade 11 OAC course was also developed together by Sunanda Tumne and Shalan Khandekar but cancelled due to lack of enrollment. Eventually junior and senior Marathi Class program discontinued in 1991. As students matured, joined the universities then student enrollment dropped and classes discontinued.

1991 - 1995:

Sunanda Tumne taught Marathi to Ms. Marianne Warren (Ph.D. student, University of Toronto) as a Marathi Language course curriculum requirement for her thesis work on Shirdi Sai Baba. Later Ms. Warren published a book called  "Unravelling the Enigma:Shirdi Sai Baba in the Light of Sufism". Ms. Warren acknowledged sincere gratitude to Sunanda Tumne in her book for teaching her Marathi Language and help with Marathi – English translations.

1996 - 1997:

Again in 1996, Sunanda Tumne started Marathi classes in the basement of her home in Mississauga. Also she served as a MBM Marathi Shala coordinator for Marathi teaching program. Meena Gandhi served as a teacher in 1996-1997.

1997 - 1999:

Sunanda Tumne approached Peel Board of Education to start Marathi Language Classes under International Language Program. Now Marathi class started again at The Valleys Public Secondary School in Mississauga every Sunday morning. Sunanda Tumne served as a teacher with current enrolment of 28 students in Mississauga. Student enrollment was 37 by year 2000. Veena Bopardikar served as a supply teacher. Sunanda Tumne prepared a structured Marathi Shala program in Basic, Intermediate and Advance level. She prepared lesson plans, teacher’s guidance, short term and long-term outline of the course. Half an hour of Gym time enhanced Marathi learning through games and play activities. Sunanda Tumne acted as a MBM Marathi Shala coordinator for East and West end of the greater Toronto area.

1999 - 2000 - The Valleys Secondary Public School, Peel Board of Education, Mississauga:

Sunanda Tumne approached Peel Board of Education to start Marathi Language Classes under International Program. Now Marathi class started again at The Valleys Public Secondary School in Mississauga every Sunday morning.Sunanda Tumne served as a teacher with current enrolment of 28 students in Mississauga. Student enrollment was 37 by year 2000. Veena Bopardikar served as a supply teacher. Sunanda Tumne prepared a structured Marathi Shala program in Basic, Intermediate and Advance level. She prepared lesson plans, teacher’s guidance, short term and long-term outline of the course. Half an hour of Gym time enhanced Marathi learning through games and play activities. Sunanda Tumne acted as a coordinator for Marathi school in the greater Toronto area.

Oriole Community Centre, North York:

Shree Nana Datar continued to serve as a teacher in North York and current enrolment was 11 students in North York. Shree Nana Datar continued to teach in east end Marathi school; Nita Tilak and Surekha Nimkar served as teachers for two other classes. The classes continued at the Oriole Community center with support of Marathi Bhashik Mandal, Toronto Inc.

Sept. 1999:

Twenty-two children rehearsed and performed in a one act Marathi comedy play called “"Are Pan Ka?" written by Sunanda Tumne. The theme of the play was a satire on “"Thread Ceremony"”. It was jointly produced and directed by Leena Deodhare. Veena Bopardikar, Prakash Kale, Anagha Wad and Kishore Bapat managed the stage props, sound and lights. The play was a grand success with unbelievable standing ovation at the MBM Ganapati program.

2001 - 2002 - The Valleys Secondary Public School, Peel Board of Education, Mississauga:

Veena Bopardikar served as a Marathi Teacher. The student enrollment was 32. The Marathi school continued to be grand success with strong commitments by parents and students. Shree Nana Datar and Nita Tilak continued serving as Marathi teachers in East end school at Oriole community centre with enrollment of 11 students.

2003 - 2005 - The Valleys Secondary Public School, Peel Board of Education, Mississauga:

Meenal Joshi and Vijaya Markendey served as two Marathi teachers with strong enrollment of 36 students. Sunanda Tumne serves as a MBM Marathi Shala coordinator, mentor to the teachers and lesson planner. The second school continued to operate under the International Language Program in Mississauga. This year, Toronto East Marathi Shala classes discontinued due to the lack of enrollment in 2004-2005. Shree Ganesh Yaag Association made venue available at the Kalibari temple for the Mississauga school’'s year-end gathering in June 2005.

2005 - 2009 - Don Valley Junior High School, North York Toronto District School Board of Education, Toronto:

Sunanda Tumne made persistent efforts in Sept. 2005; to organize and to hold Marathi classes under the structured program with grand success. Again this year, Marathi classes in East Toronto were organized under the Toronto District School Board of Education. Twenty-eight students registered in Sept.2005 for the East Toronto area. The Saturday morning classes are held at Don Valley Jr. High School. Sunanda Tumne served as a teacher for 4 months. Ashwini Deodhar served as teacher from Dec.2005-2009. Jyoti Mulye served as a supply teacher. Two classes are formalized in Sept. 2008 with total of 37 students registered.

2005 - The Valleys Secondary Public School, Peel Board of Education, Mississauga:

Toronto West classes continued at the Valleys School in Mississauga every Sunday morning with strong enrollment of 40 students. Meenal Joshi and Vijaya Markandey served as a MBM Marathi Shala coordinator. Deoyani Ballal served worked with tremendour dedication as a classroom volunteer for 4 years.

2006 - T.L. Kennedy Secondary School, Peel Board of Education, Mississauga:

Vijaya Markandey and Sunanda Tumne served as teachers. A strong enrollment of 46 students continued with two classes. Vrinda Atre and Suneeta Joshi served as supply teachers.

Madhuri Bapat (Thacher, AZ) provided the self-designed "Rangoli" t-shirts for all Marathi Shala students and teachers as a generous gift in June 2007.

November 2008:

The Marathi Shala curriculum is developed and produced by Sunanda Tumne with the contribution from Vijaya Bapat (North Carolina) and team teachers and all Toronto and Mississauga Marathi teachers. Leena Deodhare perceived this project for BMM as a Marathi Shala initiative. The elementary, intermediate and advance curriculum is developed within eight months of hard work.

December 2008 - Marathi Shala, One-Day Summer Camp:

Ashwini Deodhar initiated and organized meticulously the winter camp for both East and West end Marathi Shala students. Ashwini and Amit Deodhar managed exceptionally well the registration, food, games and prizes. All students enjoyed it thoroughly. As usual MBM supported the activity with venue. Vijaya Markandey, Sunanda Tumne, Jyoti Mulye, Sanheeta Khasnis and volunteer parents helped make the day camp successful.

Every year end, all students continually showed their Marathi leaning and speaking talent with performances of the skits, project presentation, reciting poems, story telling and reading lessons etc. at the "Snehsammelan" gathering. MBM gives the prizes, certificates to students and appreciation gifts to teachers.