Shahu of Kolhapur

Shahu (26 June 1874 – 6 May 1922), also known as Chhatrapati Rajarshi Shahu or Shahu IV, was the ruler of the princely state of Kolhapur in British India from 1894 to 1922. Born Yeshwantrao Ghatge into the Ghatge Maratha family of Kagal, he was adopted by the Kolhapur royal family on 17 March 1884 following the death of the childless Maharaja Shivaji VI. He received his education at Rajkumar College in Rajkot and was tutored in administrative affairs by Sir Stuart Fraser before ascending to the throne on 2 April 1894.

During his 28-year reign, Shahu implemented social and educational reforms aimed at improving conditions for lower-caste communities. His administration issued a reservation order on 26 July 1902 that provided 50% reservation in government jobs and education for backward classes, establishing one of India's earliest affirmative action policies. He established numerous educational institutions including hostels for various caste and religious communities, and made primary education compulsory and free in his state in 1917. In recognition of his educational initiatives, the University of Cambridge conferred upon him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree on 10 June 1903.

Shahu's government enacted several pieces of social legislation addressing caste and gender discrimination. These included laws permitting widow remarriage (1 January 1917), legalizing inter-caste and inter-religious marriages (12 July 1919), and prohibiting the Devadasi system (11 November 1920). He pursued economic development through the establishment of cooperative societies, textile mills including the Shahu Chhatrapati Spinning and Weaving Mill (1906), and agricultural institutions. A major infrastructure project undertaken during his reign was the Radhanagari Dam on the Bhogawati River, initiated in 1907 and completed posthumously in 1935, which enabled irrigation of approximately 15,000 hectares of land. He maintained an association with B. R. Ambedkar between 1917 and 1921, providing financial support for Ambedkar's newspaper Mooknayak and collaborating on issues of caste discrimination. A patron of traditional wrestling, Shahu established numerous training facilities throughout Kolhapur and built Khasbag Stadium.

He was born as Yeshwantrao in the Ghatge Maratha family, of Kagal (Sr.) jagir in the Kolhapur district as Yeshwantrao Ghatge to Jaisingrao (Aabasaheb) and Radhabai on 26 June 1874. Jaisingrao Ghatge was the Chief of the Kagal (Sr.) estate and the regent of Kolhapur State, while his mother Radhabai hailed from the royal Ghorpade family of Mudhol. Young Yeshwantrao lost his mother when he was only three. His education was supervised by his father till he was 10 years old. In that year, he was adopted by Queen Anandibai, widow of King Shivaji VI, of the princely state of Kolhapur. He completed his formal education at the Rajkumar College, Rajkot and took lessons of administrative affairs from Sir Stuart Fraser, a representative of the Indian Civil Services. He ascended the throne in 1894 after coming of age, prior to which a regency council appointed by the British Government took care of the state affairs. During his accession Yeshwantrao was renamed as Shahuji Maharaj. Shahu was over six feet five inches in height and displayed a regal and majestic appearance. Wrestling was one of his favourite sports and he patronised the sport throughout his rule. Wrestlers from all over the country would come to his state to participate in wrestling competitions.

He was married to Lakshmibai Khanvilkar, daughter of a nobleman from Baroda in 1891. The couple had four children, two sons and two daughters.

A Brahmin priest Narayan Bhat of the royal family refused to perform the particular Vedokta rites for Shahu implying that he belonged to Shudra varna later claiming that there were no real Kshatriyas and that in the present Kali Yuga or epoch of Kali, only two varnas existed, Brahmins and Shudras which led to Shahu to fight for the rights of the Maratha community. Shahu Maharaj revitalised the Patgaon tradition, a monastic lineage founded in the 17th century by Mouni Maharaj, a Maratha yogi. As part of this revival, he appointed Sadashivrao Lakshmanrao Sankpal Patil Benadikar, a Maratha and noted Sanskrit scholar, as the Kshatra-Jagadguru.

Chhatrapati Shahu occupied the throne of Kolhapur for 28 years, from 1894 to 1922; during this period he initiated numerous social reforms in his empire. He is credited with doing much to improve conditions for the lower castes. He also ensured suitable employment for students thus educated, thereby creating one of the earliest affirmative action (50% reservation to weaker sections) programs in history. Many of these measures came in to effect in the year 1902. He started Shahu Chhatrapati Weaving and Spinning Mill in 1906 to provide employment. Rajaram College was built by Shahu Maharaj, and later was named after him. His emphasis was on education, his aim being to make learning available to the masses. He introduced a number of educational programs to promote education among his subjects. He established hostels for different ethnicities and religions, including Panchals, Devadnya, Nashik, Shimpi, Dhor-Chambhar communities as well as for Muslims, Jains and Christians. He established the Miss Clarke Boarding School for the socially quarantined segments of the community. Shahu introduced several scholarships for poor meritorious students from backward castes. He also initiated compulsory free primary education for all in his state. He established Vedic Schools which enabled students from all castes and classes to learn the scriptures, thus propagating Sanskrit education among all. He also founded special schools for village heads or 'patils' to make them better administrators.

On 10 June 1903, in recognition of his work in educational and cultural fields, the University of Cambridge conferred upon him the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)