Israel’s Consul General in Mumbai, Yaniv Revach, on Saturday revealed plans to build a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Israel, saying the initiative is aimed at strengthening cultural and historical ties between the two nations. On the occasion of Shiv Rajyabhishek Din, Revach said he was inspired by the similarities between India and Israel, particularly the struggles both nations faced in securing and protecting their homeland.
‘First, I should greet the Indian people; today is the coronation day of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and it is important for me to greet the Indian people on this occasion. Now, when I came to India a few months ago, I learnt about the similarities between India and Israel,’ he said. The Israeli diplomat noted that both India and Israel share a history of resilience and determination, which led to the decision to honour Shivaji Maharaj through a landmark project in Israel.
‘The fact that both nations had to fight is significant. The Jews also had to fight for their land for many, many decades. And we understand exactly what the influence is and how important Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is to India as well. So instead of offering or doing a big project here in India, we decided to do something that would be more of goodwill for the Indian people. Because following the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Jerusalem, we decided to deepen the ties between Israel and India in different aspects. One of the aspects we focused on was the history of our two nations. And that is why we chose Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj,’ he said.
India-Israel Cultural Ties
According to Revach, the statue project aims to become a long-term symbol of friendship between the people of India and Israel. He said the monument would be installed in one of Israel’s major cities and would serve as a lasting connection between the two countries.
#WATCH | Mumbai: 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… pic.twitter.com/yLTw8K4LIO
— ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2026
‘So the idea was to build a big statue of the Maharaj and send it to Israel. So it would be more than just a regular project; it would be a long-term project. And this project will also connect the Indian people with the Israeli people. So we plan to bring it to one of the big cities in Israel. I visited the office of the chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, to seek his advice and explore the possibility of partnering together. Of course, he gave us immediately his blessing, and he will provide us all of the support that we’ll need,’ he said. The proposal was discussed with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who assured full support for the initiative.
Maharashtra Government Extends Support
Reacting to the proposal, Fadnavis welcomed the idea and expressed his gratitude to Israel for choosing to honour Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in this manner. In a post on X, the Maharashtra Chief Minister described the announcement as significant and thanked Israel’s Consul General for the initiative, which was announced on the auspicious occasion of Shiv Rajyabhishek Din.
The proposed statue is expected to become a symbol of the growing friendship between India and Israel, reflecting shared historical experiences and expanding cultural cooperation between the two nations.
(Inputs From ANI)
ALSO READ: Singapore Orders Blocking Of Content Targeting Indians: Know What Happened
Harshita is a journalist and digital content writer specializing in breaking news, current affairs, travel, education, and trending stories. She is focused on delivering accurate, timely, and engaging content with a strong emphasis on clarity and audience relevance.
