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

Tower Hamlets secures funding to save domestic abuse support jobs

The planned strike action was called off after the external funding was secured

Tower Hamlets secures funding to save domestic abuse support jobs

Ruby Gregory

REDUNDANCY proposals which would have seen job cuts made to a ‘crucial’ domestic abuse support service in Tower Hamlets have been called off.

Solace Women’s Aid, which planned to make cuts, confirmed last Friday (28) the redundancies were no longer going ahead, following a boost in external funding which followed a threat of strike action.

Keep ReadingShow less
Report reveals Birmingham’s doctors face racism and bullying
Absences have risen at the Queen Elizabeth and Heartlands Hospitals in Birmingham, as well as Good Hope in Sutton and Solihull Hospital

Report reveals Birmingham’s doctors face racism and bullying

Gurdip Thandi

YOUNG doctors in Birmingham hospitals face a ‘shocking’ number of incidents of bullying, racism and sexism from patients and other staff.

The Medical Academy Annual Report was presented to a University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust board meeting, which revealed the data.

Keep ReadingShow less
Former police officer arrested in Rotherham investigation

Investigators believe the earlier offences happened between 1995 and 2002 (Photo for representation: iStock)

Former police officer arrested in Rotherham investigation

A FORMER police officer has been arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into child sexual abuse in Rotherham, authorities revealed on Tuesday (1).

The former constable, who is in his 50s, was taken into custody on Monday (31). He is suspected of raping a teenage girl in the South Yorkshire town in 2004, according to officials.

Keep ReadingShow less
Modi Xi

Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping during their meeting in October 2024.

75 years of India-China relations: Modi, Xi call for stronger ties

INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi and Chinese president Xi Jinping exchanged messages on Tuesday to mark the 75th anniversary of India-China diplomatic relations.

Modi stated that the development of bilateral ties contributes to global stability and a multipolar world, while Xi called for a "dragon-elephant tango" to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sri Lanka forms committee to address UK sanctions
Anura Kumara Dissanayake

Sri Lanka forms committee to address UK sanctions

THE Sri Lanka government on Wednesday (2) formed a committee to recommend measures regarding the UK's decision to impose sanctions on three former military commanders who led the campaign that crushed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009.

Health minister Nalinda Jayatissa told reporters that foreign minister Vijitha Herath, justice minister Harshana Nanayakkara and deputy minister of defence Aruna Jayasekara would comprise the committee that would consult experts for the purpose.

Keep ReadingShow less