New Delhi:

The Indian Army has installed a statue of Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji on the bank of Pangong lake at an altitude of 14,300 feet, a region that is close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in the eastern Ladakh sector. The Army’s Leh-based 14 Corps said the inauguration of the statue celebrated the “unwavering spirit” of the Indian ruler as his legacy remains a source of inspiration.

The statue was unveiled on Thursday by Lt Gen Hitesh Bhalla, the General Officer Commanding of the 14 Corps, widely known as Fire and Fury Corps.

The towering symbol of valour, vision and unwavering justice was inaugurated by Lt Gen Hitesh Bhalla, the 14 Corps said on X.

“The event celebrates the unwavering spirit of the Indian ruler, whose legacy remains a source of inspiration for generations,” it said.

SHRI CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI MAHARAJ STATUE AT PANGONG TSO, LADAKH

On 26 Dec 2024, a majestic statue of Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was inaugurated on the banks of Pangong Tso at an altitude of 14,300 feet.

The towering symbol of valour, vision and unwavering justice was… pic.twitter.com/PWTVE7ndGX

— @firefurycorps_IA (@firefurycorps) December 28, 2024

The Army has been making efforts to integrate India’s “ancient strategic acumen” into the contemporary military domain.

The unveiling of the Shivaji statue came weeks after India and China completed the disengagement process in the last two friction points of Demchok and Depsang marking an end to the nearly four-and-half-year-long border standoff.

Following an understanding reached on October 21, the two sides completed the disengagement of troops at the two remaining friction points.

The eastern Ladakh border standoff erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area.

As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process in 2021 on the north and south banks of the Pangong Tso. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s legendary wagh nakh, the ‘tiger claw’ weapon he used to defeat Bijapur sultanate’s general Afzal Khan in 1659, is set to return to Maharashtra from London in November.

This year marks the 350th anniversary of the coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji. The tiger claw weapon will be brought back from London’s Victoria and Albert Museum for a three-year exhibition to commemorate the occasion.

Maharashtra’s Culture Minister, Sudhir Mungantiwar, will arrive in London on Tuesday to sign an agreement with the museum for the return of the weapon. 

“In the first phase, we are bringing the wagh nakh. It should be brought here in November, and we are signing an MoU for that. Our effort is to bring it on the day when Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj disemboweled Afzal Khan,” Mr Mungantiwar had said earlier this month.

The wagh nakh is expected to be housed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum in south Mumbai.

The Maratha victory at the Battle of Pratapgad in 1659 was a turning point in Chhatrapati Shivaji’s campaign to establish the Maratha Empire. Despite being outnumbered, the Marathas defeated the Adilshahi forces led by Afzal Khan, boosting Chhatrapati Shivaji’s reputation as a brilliant military strategist.

Chhatrapati Shivaji killed Afzal Khan at the foot of Pratapgarh fort in present-day Satara district in Maharashtra. This episode has since become a part of folklore, symbolising Chhatrapati Shivaji’s bravery and cunning in defeating a much larger and more powerful enemy.

“When Afzal Khan stabbed Shivaji Maharaj in the back (during the meeting), Shivaji Maharaj used a ‘wagh nakh’ to kill the cruel, demonic Afzal Khan,” Mr Mungantiwar said.

“The wagh nakh is a source of inspiration and energy for us. This year also marks the 350th anniversary of Shivaji Maharaj’s coronation,” he added.

The authenticity of the ‘wagh nakh’ is under debate in Maharashtra. History expert Inderjit Sawant has pointed out that the Victoria and Albert Museum website states that Chhatrapati Shivaji did not use the weapon. 

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has also questioned the authenticity of the ‘wagh nakh’.