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 ruler’s 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 ½ 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 Shivaji’s 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 today’s administrators to look at Shivaji’s 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.