Pune Event Sparks Row Over Bajirao Peshwa Lineage

Reported by Siddhi Patil

Pune, 2nd July 2025: A controversy has erupted ahead of the unveiling of Shrimant Bajirao Peshwa’s statue at the National Defence Academy (NDA) in Pune on July 4, with Nawab Shadab Ali Bahadur, who claims to be the direct descendant of Bajirao and Mastani, accusing the organizers of misrepresenting the true lineage of the Peshwa. The event is being organized by the Thorale Bajirao Peshwa Pratishthan Samiti, led by its president Kundan Kumar Sathe, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to unveil the statue.

Shadab Ali Bahadur, a descendant of Mastani’s son and the Nawab of Banda, has raised objections over the person being presented as a descendant of Bajirao Peshwa. According to Bahadur, this individual is actually from the line of Raghunathrao and Amrit Rao, who were adopted into the Peshwa family and have no blood ties to Bajirao or Mastani.

“I am not against the statue. I am only against Kundan Kumar Sathe because he is cheating people and disrespecting me, the real descendant who has a blood relation, and trying to prove that the adopted child’s bloodline is the real and deserving descendant,” said Bahadur, who traces his heritage through the Bundelkhand royal lineage and Adgaon Pidi.

He added that the family’s contributions to Indian history are significant and well documented. “Mastani Sahiba’s son fought against foreigners in the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761 and became a martyr. His grandson, upon Rani Laxmi Bai’s request for help, went to aid her with 10,000 soldiers because Nawab Ali Bahadur was Rani Laxmi Bai’s Rakhi brother and the Nawab of Banda, which is why the British seized the state’s treasury,” Bahadur said.

Shadab Ali Bahadur mentioned that while he received an invitation to the unveiling only two days ago, he declined it after learning that someone else was being presented as Bajirao’s descendant. He expressed concern that Union Home Minister Amit Shah who has authored a book on the Peshwas is being misinformed.

He also criticized the rising number of Bajirao Peshwa statues being erected across Maharashtra. “In places like Nashik, statues are being installed in every village, and some people are turning this into a business. This is not about honouring history, but about personal gain,” he alleged.

In response, Kundan Kumar Sathe clarified the organizing committee’s position. “The decision of who is to be called and who sits where has come directly from the home ministry since this is an event for the NDA. We still respect Nawab Shadab Ali Bahadur and the relationship between Bajirao and Mastani. We are deeply disheartened after seeing that he has blown this issue so much out of proportion, and we still hope that he keeps his ego aside, and chooses to help us with this,” Sathe said.

Meanwhile, Bahadur demanded public recognition of the real bloodline of Bajirao and Mastani and said he is ready to undergo a DNA test to prove his claims. “Our love and sacrifice cannot be commercialized. The truth must be preserved and respected,” he said.