Mumbai, Feb 1 (IANS): The Maharashtra government has accorded recognition to the iconic ballad "Jai Jai Maharashtra Maza" as its State Song, officials said here on Tuesday.

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the number will be officially accorded the status on February 19, the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

"Jai Jai Maharashtra Maza" (Hail, Hail Maharashtra) was written by the famed Marathi poet, late Raja Badhe (1912-1977).

A de facto official song rendered at many official and private events, 'Jai Jai Maharashtra' was sung and recorded originally by the renowned folk singer, the late Krishnarao Ganpatrao Sable (1923-2015) who was famed as Shahir Sable.

Initially serving with the All India Radio in Mumbai, Badhe had made a film on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and is renowned for his translation of 'Ghata Saptashti' - a volume of poems compiled by Raja Hal Satvahana, the ancient ruler of the Satavahana dynasty of Maharashtra, around 2,300 years ago.

Badhe's other songs include "Hastes Ashi Ka Mani" sung by Lata Mangeshkar, "Sujan Ho Parisa Ram Katha" (from the 1943 superhit Hindi film 'Ram Rajya'), and "Chandane Shimpit Jashi" composed by Pandit Hridaynath Mangeshkar.

Hailing from Satara, Shahir Sable was an accomplished singer, musician, writer, performer on folk theatre who popularised old traditional fine arts forms and was honoured with a Padma Shri (1998) and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1984), and many other honours.