Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is set to introduce a ‘Centre of Excellence’ named following the iconic Maratha leader, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, aiming to bring forward a new era of Indian strategic and military studies. The proposed centre will offer fresh insights into Shivaji’s leadership, diplomacy and military innovations, particularly his contributions to the ‘Akhand Bharat’ concept and his quest for ‘Hindu Swaraj’ or self-rule.
The new centre, to be called the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Centre for Security & Strategic Studies, will be established within JNU’s prestigious School of International Studies. The initiative will be supported by the Maharashtra government, which is contributing a corpus of INR 10 crore to fund the project.
‘The focus is on understanding Shivaji Maharaj’s strategic and administrative insights, which played a key role in shaping a united and resilient Bharat’, said Professor Amitabh Mattoo, Dean of the School of International Studies. He emphasized that Shivaji’s era offers valuable lessons in diplomacy, military strategy, and leadership, which are still relevant for contemporary India.
The centre is expected to start offering diploma, undergraduate, and postgraduate programs by July 2025, making it a flagship institution for studying Indan strategic thought rooted in historical perspectives.
The establishment of the Shivaji Centre is being seen as a major shift from the traditionally Western-dominated study of Indian security and strategy at JNU. Vice-Chancellor Santishree D Pandit remarked, ‘It’s time to move beyond the Anglo-American lens and develop alternative models that resonate with India’s historical and strategic reality. The new centre will explore the contributions of Shivaji Maharaj, who remains one of the greatest icons of Indian history.
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