India, Sept. 11 -- The recent agitation for Maratha quota and subsequent administrative processes around Maratha reservation have had an unlikely fallout namely, revival of interest in the ancient Modi Lipi which was once the royal script during the reign of the Peshwas.

With the state government making it mandatory for members of the Maratha community to submit records for their inclusion in the Kunbi category to avail the benefits of reservation, old documents such as land and revenue records, temple registers and archival papers written in the Modi script have become crucial evidence. The state government has further clarified that only documents dating back before 1950 will be considered valid, inducing a scramble among Maratha famil...