Shivaji Va Suraj  (Hindi, Book, Dave Anil Madhav)

Anil Madhav Dave has chosen a lesser known, yet, abundantly obvious aspect of the great Indian sovereign Shivaji. Good governance, be it 400 years ago or be it in today’s India, has a direct bearing on the quality of life of the citizens and reflects the rulers hold on the kingdom.

In the book Shivaji and Suraj, Dave points out how out of the 36 years of his public life, Shivaji spent only about 6 years in the field fighting battles and throwing out the enemy from his land. The rest of his life was spent in erecting a strong system of good governance.

With examples galore showcasing Shivajis main ministries such as Finance, Home, Agriculture, Science and Technology and even Language and Culture; not to mention ministries such as Environment, Women & Child Development and Land Use all issues that have gained currency in recent years Dave draws parallels to the lacunae in the contemporary system and its poor governance practices. He exhorts todays administrators to look at Shivajis good governance practices as a blue print for a successful government involved in the welfare of its people.

Dave also establishes the great Maratha warrior’s foresight in planning and implementing decisions, which can also be useful for rulers and administrators across the world today. The book has a liberal sprinkling of examples of how western and oriental travelers, thinkers and war strategists have praised Shivaji for his qualities as an able administrator.

About the Author
Environmentalist, writer, organizer, traveler and a politician, Anil Madhav Dave is currently Janata Party, Dave has, for more than three decades, been closely associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the world’s largest NGO. He also runs an NGO called Narmada Samagra which is involved in conservation and preservation of rivers, especially Narmada, one of the most sacred rivers of India.