Israel to install Shivaji statue to deepen ties with India, diplomat consults Fadnavis

Israel plans to erect a statue of the Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in one of its major cities, a move aimed at deepening bilateral ties with India. Yaniv Revach, Israel's consul general to Mumbai, announced the plan on Shivaji's Coronation Day and revealed that he had consulted Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for guidance.

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Of course, he gave us immediately his blessing, and he will give us all of the support that we'll need.

Revach described the initiative as a "long-term project" and a display of "goodwill for the Indian people." He explained that following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel in February, the two nations decided to strengthen their relationship across various aspects, including shared history. The idea is to bring a statue of Shivaji Maharaj to Israel as part of this effort.

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Because following the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Jerusalem, we decided to deepen the ties between Israel and India in different aspects. One of the aspects was actually the history of our two nations.

Citing parallels between the histories of India and Israel, Revach noted that both nations have had to "fight for their land for many, many decades." He believes that fostering greater awareness of Shivaji Maharaj in Israel is crucial. The consul general praised the Maratha king's "good governance, courage, religious tolerance," qualities he said continue to inspire.

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When I came here to India a few months ago, I learned about the similarities between India and Israel. The fact that we both nations had to fight, the Jews also had to fight for their land for many, many decades.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra CM Fadnavis also unveiled a 20-foot bronze statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the Navi Mumbai international airport on the same day. He expressed confidence that the statue would inspire passengers, drawing energy from the Maratha warrior king's image and memorial.

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I believe that we need to make efforts to create greater awareness about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Israel.