CM Sai pays tribute to Peshwa Bajirao I on birth anniversary
Synopsis
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai paid tribute to Peshwa Bajirao I on his birth anniversary, honouring the Maratha commander's extraordinary battlefield record and vision as an enduring national inspiration.
Key Takeaways
CM Vishnu Deo Sai posted a tribute on 18 August 2026 marking the birth anniversary of Peshwa Bajirao I .
Bajirao I was born on 18 August 1700 and served as Peshwa of the Maratha Empire from 1720 to 1740 .
He is credited with winning approximately 41 consecutive battles without a single defeat.
His campaigns expanded Maratha power into Rajputana, Malwa, Gujarat, and the Gangetic plains .
CM Sai described him as an 'unmatched example of bravery and leadership' whose life remains a source of national inspiration.
A warrior who never lost a battle — Peshwa Bajirao I — received a heartfelt tribute on his birth anniversary from Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Tuesday, 18 August 2026, as the BJP leader honoured the Maratha military genius with a salutation on X.
In his post, CM Sai wrote: 'Adbhut shaurya, atoot sankalp aur advitiya yuddha kaushal' — 'extraordinary valour, unbreakable resolve, and unparalleled martial skill' — the qualities he said left an indelible mark on Indian history. He added that Bajirao's battlefield prowess and far-sighted strategy remain 'an unmatched example of bravery and leadership even today', and that a life devoted to the glory of the motherland 'will forever be a source of inspiration.'
The commander who redrew India's map
Bajirao I, born on 18 August 1700, served as Peshwa — prime minister — of the Maratha Empire under Chhatrapati Shahu from 1720 until his death in 1740. In two decades, he fought and won an estimated 41 battles without a single recorded defeat, a record that military historians still cite as remarkable. His campaigns pushed Maratha influence deep into Rajputana, Malwa, Gujarat, and the Gangetic plains, fundamentally reshaping the political geography of eighteenth-century India. His cavalry tactics — fast, unpredictable, striking deep into enemy territory — were a century ahead of conventional Mughal-era warfare.Why BJP leaders invoke Bajirao
Tributes to Bajirao I have become a recurring feature of BJP political culture, fitting into a broader effort to reclaim medieval Hindu-Maratha heritage as a national narrative. For leaders like CM Sai — himself from Chhattisgarh, a state with deep Gondwana and Maratha historical connections — invoking Bajirao signals continuity between regional martial traditions and the party's cultural-nationalist framework. Bajirao's legacy endures well beyond politics: his administrative innovations, his patronage of the arts, and his complex personal life — including his celebrated relationship with Mastani — have made him one of the most dramatised figures in Indian popular culture.Point of View
Governing a state with its own complex martial history, the salutation also carries regional resonance — Chhattisgarh's territory overlapped with Maratha administrative reach in the eighteenth century. The framing of Bajirao as a timeless symbol of 'motherland devotion' fits the BJP's broader strategy of elevating pre-colonial warrior figures as inspirational anchors. Whether this deepens historical literacy or reduces a complex statesman to a mascot is the live tension in India's memory politics.
NationPress
18 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Peshwa Bajirao I's birth anniversary?
Peshwa Bajirao I was born on 18 August 1700 , so his birth anniversary is observed every year on 18 August .
Who was Peshwa Bajirao I?
Bajirao I was the Peshwa (prime minister) of the Maratha Empire under Chhatrapati Shahu from 1720 to 1740 . He is famed for fighting approximately 41 battles without a single defeat and for dramatically expanding Maratha territory across India.
Why did Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai pay tribute to Bajirao I?
CM Sai posted a tribute on the occasion of Bajirao I's birth anniversary, calling him an 'unmatched example of bravery and leadership' and honouring his life as a source of national inspiration — a gesture common among BJP leaders on this date.
What is Bajirao I famous for in Indian history?
Bajirao I is celebrated for his undefeated battlefield record, his innovative cavalry tactics, and his role in pushing Maratha influence deep into northern and western India, fundamentally reshaping eighteenth-century Indian geopolitics.
What did Vishnu Deo Sai say about Bajirao I?
CM Sai described Bajirao I as possessing 'extraordinary valour, unbreakable resolve, and unparalleled martial skill,' and said his battlefield prowess and far-sighted strategy remain an inspiration for bravery and leadership even today.
