MARATHA (Motivate, Appreciate, Respect, Acclaim, Train, Help, Award) is a federation of young professionals and entrepreneurs. MARATHA is also considered as a global community, leadership, personality & business development movement or initiative.

MARATHA is a concept that was born during 1995 - 1996 where a group of individuals at the City of Pune, State Of Maharashtra, India thought it was a dire need of the time to build a group of like minded individuals who believe in growing in all aspects of the life as a team of friends. Since then MARATHA movement has developed strong holds in most of the UN Registered countries and is steadily growing. During the year 2000 - 2002 the concept MARATHA moved from the status of "a simple concept" to rather more of "a community development initiative or movement".

MARATHA has grown up to be an organization that manufactures leaders for all distinctive sections of the community. MARATHA believes in 7 principles of life, principles when practiced methodologically can assist the global good in channelizing the community efforts in rather more development prone initiatives. All the 7 principles of MARATHA are coexisting in nature none holding more importance or precedence over the other. It is the methodological collective practice of these principles that lead to building of a successful tomorrow one may be always dreaming about.

1. ✴Motivate - Motivate community to attain collective success in development initiatives.
   

2. ✴Appreciate - Appreciate every small & large achievements of the community that has lead to overall community development.
   

3. ✴Respect - Respect all from the youngest to the oldest for their positive participations in development.
   

4. ✴Acclaim - Acclaim the smallest of successes to the largest ones put forth for any amount of effort of the community.
   

5. ✴Train - Provide training to the community to acquire collective goals & milestones.
   

6. ✴Help - Help all in need irrespective of caste, creed, sex, religion, nationality, origin, age & views.
   

7. ✴Award - Award every achievement of those who strive hard to methodologically progress with collective efforts initiative.
   
   

Motivation leads to developing interests amongst the young & the old to work together in uplifting the community.

Motivation itself never helps, it needs to be powered by Appreciation, since Motivation is like momentum that may fade out over the period of time & it is timely Appreciation that keeps the momentum going.

Motivation & Appreciation by themselves are incompetent to keep the direction of development intact. It requires due Respect to be given from time to time to the community that keeps the light glowing in the minds and hearts of the community.

So does the Motivation, Appreciation & Respect do the job needed one may ask, the answer is No. To keep the light glowing in the hearts and minds of the community, periodic recognition in the form of Acclaim is required. MARATHA has proven that a positive periodic recognition makes the impossible - possible in no time.

So the question may again arise does Motivation, Appreciation, Respect & Acclaim do what is needed - and the answer to it is “more is need”. More in the form of Training that needs to coexist with Motivation, Appreciation, Respect & Acclaim, for it is the periodic training from that keeps the community on the true path of development. MARATHA has experienced that in the process of development there are probabilities of community developing "egos" that may lead to distractions. Its this "ego" that is addressed carefully by the means of Training. When one is addressing "ego" there develops a need to provide Help as well to deal with the situations that may arise due to the overblown "ego".

A positive "ego" is always helpful in development, although there is a thin line between "a positive ego" & "a negative ego" this thin line of differentiation is identified with Helping the community whereas Training the community in parallel addresses their need to over come "the negative ego".

Finally on effective working methodologically the community reaches to the point of being Awarded for their collective development prone efforts.

MARATHA is a friend circle of highly motivated, proactive and development favoring individuals world wide. MARATHA movement has started two chapters as of now in the Junior Chamber Of Commerce International (JCI) world named as "JCI Pune MARTHA" (INDIA) & "JCI San Fernando Valley MARTHA (USA).

JCI San Fernando Valley MARTHA chapter  chartered in year 2006, is affiliated to California Junior Chamber, United States Junior Chamber and Junior Chamber International (JCI) until end of year 2009.

JCI Pune MARTHA on the other hand chartered in year 2005, is affiliated to JCI Poona, JCI India and Junior Chamber International (JCI). During Quarter 3 & 4 of 2009, JCI Pune MARTHA was respected by JCI INDIA by awarding it a permanent chapter status with JCI INDIA National Organization.

Junior Chamber International (JCI )is an international Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with active participation in the United Nations (UN) system. In this context, JCI has relations with the Office of the UN Secretary General (Secretariat) and a Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

JCI San Fernando Valley MARTHA Chapter President Uday Thombre is one of the founder member & President of MARATHA concept / initiative / movement. Uday Thombre (www.udaythombre.com) is also the Chairperson at JCI Pune MARTHA chapter. The basic idea behind this movement or initiative is to "Motivate, Appreciate, Respect, Acclaim, Train, Help, Award" youngsters of every community in their vision of building a better and stronger tomorrow for themselves, their community, their nation and the whole world for an instance.

At MARATHA every individual who is a part of this movement is termed as a friend of friends and not a member of an organization, since MARATHA is just a "circle of like-minded development prone friends".

At MARATHA everyone is considered to be young at heart, community caring and "there are no strangers here, but friends who have yet to meet".

At MARATHA movement individuals may hold certain positions, although there is no restriction put on anyone, this is more of a proactive group of individuals who are considered to be caring for the community as a simple human being.

MARATHA movement has generated members to multiple community development organizations such as Rotary International, Lions International, Kiwanis, Country Clubs, Jaycees and JCI. There is no restriction on any of the MARATHA friends to join any organization, although with an experience with this movement its seen multiple times that MARATHA friends happen to join community development organizations in their own communities, state & nations.

MARATHA now has approximately 39,000+ friends at United States Of America and 93,000+ friends at India (हिन्दुस्थान), worldwide we have approximately 500,000+ friends.

MARATHA often receives surprise oblations from estates of friends. Many a times these blessings are never revealed, although your kindness is well appreciated and we are very thankful to all your initiatives that lead to the common good. Its our Honor & Pride to have you as part of our world-wide family.