Shahu II of Kolhapur

Shri Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj of Kolhapur (born 7 January 1948) or Shahu II is the 12th descendent of Shivaji and the great-grandson of Shahu I of Kolhapur and the son and heir to Shahaji II of Kolhapur. He is a Member of Parliament in Lok Sabha elected from Kolhapur on ticket of Indian National Congress. He studied at the Bishop Cotton School, Bangalore and later on graduated from the Indore Christian College in 1967 with History, Economics and English literature. He became the ceremonial Chhatrapati Maharaja of Kolhapur in 1962.

He is the current Member of Parliament from the Kolhapur Lok Sabha consitituency, having won this seat as an Indian National Congress candidate in the 2024 Indian general election.

Family
On 9 March 1970, he married Yadnaseniraje, from the Pawar family of Mangsuli. Their elder son Sambhaji was born in 1971 and the younger son Maloji in 1976. Sambhaji has done his MBA and has married Sanyogeetaraje and have a son named Shahaji. Maloji has done his B.A and has married Madhurimaraje and have a daughter and son named Yashashwini and Yashraj respectively. Yashashwini has graduated from Regent's University, London and is currently studying in the Columbia University, New York, US. Sambhaji was nominated to the Rajyasabha and Maloji had represented Kolhapur in the Vidhansabha of Maharashtra.

Trusts
Shri Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj is closely associated with educational institutions and charitable trusts created by his great-grandfather Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj and by his father late Maj. Gen. Shahaji Chhatrapati Maharaj. The institutions and trusts are actively involved in educational and social work.

Association with the Defence Establishment
Shri Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj of Kolhapur, following the footsteps of his illustrious father Late Major General Shrimant Shahaji Chhatrapati, Maharaja of Kolhapur, has been maintaining close contact with the Defence establishment s and has been particularly close to the Maratha Light Infantry. Incidentally, Rajshree Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj was also an Hon. Col. in the 1st Maratha L I. Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj has been visiting the Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Centre at Belgaum regularly. In 2006, General J J Singh, COAS was felicitated in a Royal and Grand manner by Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj. when he visited Kolhapur as he was the first COAS from the MLIR.

Relief and Fund-Raising works
He had played an important role in donating and collecting funds for the relief of families and victims of :-

Awards

 * On 19 April 2010, he had the honour to receive Smt. Pratibha Patil, President of India at the Deccan Education Society, Pune on the occasion of its Post-Centennial Silver Jubilee celebrations.
 * On 28 December 2013 Shri Shahu Chhatrapati received Shri Pranab Mukherjee, President of India at All India Shri Shivaji Memorial Society, Pune where he ceremoniously unveiled the grand statue of Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj – renowned social reformer.
 * In 1984, he had the honour to receive Shri Rajiv Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, at the Centenary celebrations of the Fergusson College, Pune.
 * In recognition of his commitment towards upliftment and development of the backward and downtrodden in the social, economic, political & educational fields, he was awarded “Ambedkar Ratna Puraskar” at the hands of former Prime Minister V. P. Singh.
 * Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj was awarded the coveted “Gen. K. S. Thimayya Medal”, 2017 for his Exemplary Service to Public Life. Gen. Thimayya was a distinguished commander of the Indian Army from 1957 to 1961.

Doctorate The year 2018 saw another milestone in his life. The Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa) was conferred on Shri Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj, by the D. Y. Patil education society, Deemed to be University. The citation applauds Maharaj as a renowned social activist and educationist, who has created a great impact on the masses by his notable work towards the cause of Social Commitment.