Sharad Pawar, the chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP(SP)), has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow the installation of three horse-mounted statues of Peshwa Bajirao I, Mahadji Shinde, and Malharrao Holkar at the Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi. The area around the stadium holds historical significance due to military campaigns launched by the Maratha Empire against the Mughals in the 18th century. Pawar mentioned that a Pune-based NGO had initially planned to install busts of the warriors, but literary figures and historians have suggested equestrian statues would be a more fitting tribute to their valor and contribution.

As the Talkatora Stadium falls under the jurisdiction of the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), Pawar sought the Prime Minister’s intervention in directing the Government of Delhi and NDMC to grant the necessary permissions for installing the full-sized equestrian statues. The stadium was recently the venue for the 98th Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi. Pawar expressed appreciation for the Prime Minister’s leadership in honoring and preserving India’s glorious past and looked forward to directives to the concerned authorities for the installation of the statues.

Pawar’s letter to Modi highlighted the importance of the equestrian statues as a tribute to the bravery and contributions of Bajirao, Shinde, and Holkar. He emphasized the significance of the Prime Minister’s support in preserving historical legacies and expressed gratitude for Modi’s special affection towards him during the literary festival at Talkatora Stadium. Pawar’s request for the installation of the statues reflects a desire to honor the historical figures and their role in shaping India’s history.