MUMBAI: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s valour is set to be celebrated beyond India’s shores, with Israel planning to install a statue of the Maratha warrior king as a symbol of the growing friendship between the two nations.
Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic visit to Israel, the Israeli government has undertaken several initiatives aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties between India and Israel. As part of these efforts, the Consulate General of Israel in Mumbai has decided to establish a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Israel.
Regarding his meeting with Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Consul General of Israel to Mumbai, Yaniv Revach, says, “…we understand exactly what the influence is and how important Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is to India… the idea was to build the big statue of the Maharaj and send it to Israel… It’s going to be a project for the long run, and the Indian people will also be connected to the Israeli people through this project. We plan to bring it to one of the big cities in Israel. And I came to the office of CM Devendra Fadnavis to ask his advice and to see if we can actually partner. He gave us his immediate blessing, and it will give us all the support that we’ll need.”
शिवराज्याभिषेक दिनी मी अभिमानाने सांगू इच्छितो की, आम्ही इस्रायमध्ये छत्रपती शिवाजी महाराजांचा पुतळा स्थापित करणार आहोत.
स्मारक महाराजांच्या कार्याला साजेसे होण्यासाठी आम्ही मुख्यमंत्री @Dev_Fadnavis यांच्याकडे सहकार्य मागितले आणि त्यांनी ते तात्काळ देऊ केले.
जय भवानी जय शिवाजी! pic.twitter.com/Wq3pSeOtIM— Yaniv Revach (@yanivrev) June 6, 2026
He also extended his greetings on the occasion of Shivrajyabhishek Day. International affairs analyst Anay Joglekar was also present during the meeting.
Giving more details about the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Rewach further stated, “First of all, it’s not only that we bring the statue. We will look for a very good artist. We’ll do a very good statue. We’ll send it to Israel. We’re checking with a few municipalities in Israel where we’re going to place the statue. And as I said before, it’s something that the Israeli people should also learn about the history of India. And moreover, we think even to see if we can translate the book of Shivaji to Hebrew, translate it so people can learn about his scripts…”
Speaking about the initiative, Rewach said that after arriving in Mumbai, he began reading about the history of the Maratha Empire. He noted that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is revered not only as the founder of the Maratha Empire but also as an extraordinary leader whose principles of good governance, bravery, religious tolerance, naval strength, and protection of his subjects continue to inspire generations.
He added that Shivaji Maharaj’s courage has inspired people across India and that during his travels throughout the country, he has witnessed immense respect among Indians for Israel and its national heroes.
Rewach stated that a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Israel would serve as a powerful symbol of the close relationship between Israel and India. He further emphasised that the memorial would be particularly meaningful given the historic ties between Maharashtra and the Indian Jewish community, many of whose descendants continue to make significant contributions to Israeli society today.
Seeking support from the Maharashtra government, Rewach requested assistance with historical references, artistic consultation, design inputs, and other aspects necessary to ensure the project’s success. He expressed hope that the initiative could eventually evolve into a people-driven project involving citizens from both countries.
“I am confident that this initiative will further strengthen the friendship between our two nations and serve as a lasting tribute to the shared values of courage, leadership, and mutual respect that define both Maharashtra and Israel,” Rewach said.
Apsrt from the statue to be installed in Israel, Israel’s Consul General, Yaniv Revach also added that,”we can translate the book of Shivaji to Hebrew, translate it so people can learn about his History.”
