In 1870, a 20 year-old Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj of Kolhapur, full of promise, travelled across Europe, only to meet a tragic end in Florence. The Florentines mourned him as ‘Il Principe Indiano.’ Back in Kolhapur, grief turned into a grand vision — a memorial built with Italian and British support and coordinated by the Regency Council of Kolhapur. His cousin, Regent Jaysingrao Abasaheb Ghatge ensured the chhatri was completed. Between 1867 and the 1930s, Kolhapur evolved rapidly — waterworks, civic planning, and iconic structures took shape under the Regent and later under his son Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj who ascended the throne in 1894. A social revolutionary who shattered caste barriers, he expanded education and turned Kolhapur into a beacon of reform. At our Online Talk #AMaharajaInFlorence, designer, artist and author Nandita Ghatge tells the story of visionary rulers, a city’s transformation, and a legacy that still inspires.

About the speaker

Nandita Ghatge is a professional interior designer and artist who specialises in historic restorations. Many of her projects have been featured in numerous design magazines like Architectural Digest. She has also published a 600-year saga of her family, "Ghatges : The Rise of a Royal Dynasty -1398-2022.” Her latest book ‘A Maharaja in Florence’ was launched in Florence in Italy in October 2024 and has also been translated into Marathi.