Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

India ‘trying’ to bring back Shivaji’s sword from UK

Records show that the sword, named ‘Jagdamba', made its way to St James's Palace in London after the Maratha ruler's descendant presented it to Albert Edward, then Prince of Wales, in 1875

India ‘trying’ to bring back Shivaji’s sword from UK

A minister from India’s Maharashtra state government said they are trying to bring back warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s sword from the UK.

Records show that the sword, named 'Jagdamba’, made its way to St James’s Palace in London after the Maratha ruler’s descendant presented it to Albert Edward, then Prince of Wales, in 1875.

Maharashtra's cultural affairs minister, Sudhir Mungantiwar, on Sunday (16) said he would visit Britain next month and try to get back the sword and a dagger used by the 17th-century ruler.

His comments came at an event attended by central home minister Amit Shah at Kharghar in Raigad district, where Mungantiwar said the 350th anniversary of Shivaji Maharaj's coronation will be celebrated soon.

"I had a discussion with Alan Gemmell, British deputy high commissioner for western India and Imogen Stone, deputy head, political and bilateral affairs, on making available the 'Jagdamba' sword and 'wagh-nakh' (a dagger looking like tiger claws) for the Marathi people for viewing,” he said.

“I am going to Britain in the first week of May for the same and will try to bring them back for the 350th anniversary of Shivaji Maharaj's coronation, which we will celebrate with such grandeur that the world will salute this country led by prime minister Narendra Modi,” the minister said.

‘Jagdamba’ was one of the three popular swords - ‘Bhavani’, and ‘Tulja’ being others - used by Chhatrapati Shivaji who established the Maratha empire in western India, resisting the expansion of the Mughals.

According to history enthusiast Bhushan Garje, the warrior’s descendant, Shivaji IV, from Kolhapur joined other Indian rulers to meet the visiting Prince of Wales in Mumbai.

Shivaji IV was aged 11 when he presented the sword to the British prince.

More For You

UK Introduces Digital Entry Permit for European Visitors

The ETA can be purchased online for £10 (12 euros), but the cost will rise to £16 from 9 April. (Representational image: Reuters)

Reuters

European visitors to UK will now need digital entry permit

FROM WEDNESDAY, European visitors to the UK will need an online entry permit as part of new travel requirements introduced by the British government.

The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), a digital permit, will be required for travellers from Europe. UK officials say the move aims to enhance border security and simplify entry procedures.

Keep ReadingShow less
China pledges to be a good friend and partner to Bangladesh

Xi Jinping

China pledges to be a good friend and partner to Bangladesh

THE Chinese president, Xi Jinping, last Friday (28) pledged deeper cooperation with his Bangladeshi counterpart Muhammad Yunus in a meeting that came as Dhaka seeks new friends to offset frosty ties with India.

Yunus took charge of Bangladesh last August after the toppling of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to New Delhi after a student-led uprising.

Keep ReadingShow less
Milton-Keynes

Eyewitnesses described hearing shouting before the shooting

iStock

Man shot dead by police outside Milton Keynes railway station

A MAN was shot dead by police outside Milton Keynes Central station after reports that he was carrying a firearm.

Thames Valley Police (TVP) said officers were called to the station at 12:55, where they challenged a suspect carrying a knife. The man moved towards officers before police fired at him.

Keep ReadingShow less
EXCLUSIVE: Eastern Eye wins press freedoms to help judges

SCRUTINY: The tribunal’s favourable verdict is an important win for accountability, say current and retired Asian judges (Pic credit: Getty Images/Leon Neal)

EXCLUSIVE: Eastern Eye wins press freedoms to help judges

A tribunal has ordered the body which appoints judges in England and Wales to disclose records it refused to give to Eastern Eye.

The decision is a major victory for press freedoms because it forces the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) to become more open and transparent.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sunita-Williams-Reuters

Sunita Williams was part of the SpaceX Crew-9 mission and had been stranded in space for over nine months. (Photo: Reuters)

Reuters)

India looks amazing from space, says Sunita Williams

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams described India as "amazing" from space and expressed her intention to visit her "father's home country" to share her experiences on space exploration.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, she responded to a question about how India appeared from space and the possibility of collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Keep ReadingShow less