• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (1630-1680) established an independent Maratha kingdom from various Deccan states in the 17th century. He was the son of a general who had served different Deccan Sultans throughout his life.

• Shivaji aimed to transform his father's domain around modern-day Pune into a separate Maratha state. During this period, several Sultanates, such as Bijapur, Golkonda, and Ahmadnagar, as well as the Mughals, were vying for control of the Deccan region.

• As Mughal power increased, these Sultanates became tributaries to the Mughal Empire, with their rulers and clans receiving positions within the Mughal court. Despite this, they continued to be embroiled in internal conflicts.

• Shivaji's struggle against the Adil Shahi Sultanate of Bijapur began when he was just 16 years old. He dedicated the rest of his life to battling various opponents, ultimately laying the foundation for the Maratha Empire, which extended across much of the Indian subcontinent and continued into the 19th century.

• Shivaji's first direct confrontation with the Mughals occurred during Aurangzeb’s Deccan campaigns of the 1650s. As Aurangzeb moved north to pursue the Mughal throne, Shivaji was able to expand his territory further.

• In 1664, Shivaji attacked the port of Surat (now in Gujarat), plundering one of the wealthiest and busiest commercial centers of Mughal India while the local governor sought refuge in a nearby fort.

• Aurangzeb, observing Shivaji’s growing influence and legendary status, dispatched a 100,000-strong, well-equipped army under Raja Jai Singh I in 1665 to subdue him. Despite a fierce resistance, Shivaji was eventually besieged in the Purandar hill fort.

• In 1666, Shivaji was taken to Aurangzeb’s court in Agra. Although he presented gifts to Aurangzeb, he was displeased with his treatment and expressed his dissatisfaction publicly.

• Aurangzeb placed Shivaji under house arrest in Agra. Realizing the need to escape to protect himself and his territories, Shivaji began devising a plan to return home and continue his struggle against the Mughals.

• Shivaji’s escape became the stuff of legend. According to popular accounts, he orchestrated an elaborate plan by distributing alms to Brahmins in large, covered baskets from his residence in Agra.

• Over time, the Mughal guards grew lax about inspecting the contents of these baskets. Shivaji concealed himself in one basket and his young son, Sambhaji, in another. In this manner, Shivaji and his son managed to leave Agra undetected by the Mughal authorities.

• Aurangzeb chose not to engage in immediate conflict with Shivaji again. Instead, he offered Shivaji the title of Raja, acknowledging his authority over the Maratha lands, provided Shivaji recognized Mughal supremacy and maintained a truce.

• By 1669, Shivaji had reorganized and built an effective army. Employing his traditional guerrilla tactics, he made rapid strikes against static Mughal and Bijapuri strongholds, causing significant disruptions.

• During this period, Aurangzeb was preoccupied with Pathan revolts in the north-western part of his empire. Shivaji skillfully regained his lost positions along the Konkan coast and, in 1674, crowned himself Chhatrapati, formally establishing an independent Maratha kingdom.

• At the time of his death, Shivaji controlled around 300 forts across an area extending from Surat to near Goa along the Konkan coast, strategically protected by the Western Ghats

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• As production units in Bangladesh resume operations, with workers working extra hours to clear backlogged orders, Western garment and footwear companies have temporarily stopped placing new orders in the violence-stricken neighboring country
• The reduction in orders from Bangladesh has impacted the Indian textile industry, which provides raw materials and other inputs to Bangladesh. While there are new inquiries for garments from India, the export of Indian cotton to Bangladesh has started to decrease, industry officials noted.
• “Western companies are not placing new orders. The workers and the management know that production is critical, so they are working overtime to meet existing orders. Some items are being sourced from India to complete these orders, and even more technicians are coming from India,” 
• Ahmed mentioned that much of the production is happening in Dhaka and Chittagong, areas less affected by the protests. While there were disruptions earlier in August, normalcy is returning, and Ahmed believes Western orders will eventually resume due to the favorable duty conditions that Bangladesh enjoys as a least developed country (LDC).
• “Western companies are considering India as an alternative, but a lot depends on the ability to meet demand, as there are both qualitative and quantitative gaps between what India and Bangladesh offer,” noted Chandrima Chatterjee, Secretary General of the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI).
• Chatterjee stated that while there are inquiries for garments, the immediate impact on the Indian textile industry has been negative because our exports of input materials to Bangladesh have slowed. However, initiatives like the PLI scheme and PM Mitra scheme are positive steps towards meeting domestic demand, she added.
• An executive from the garment sector, who chose to remain anonymous, said that Western companies were already considering India as an option even before the current crisis in Bangladesh. The European market is increasingly concerned about human rights issues in Bangladesh and is, therefore, looking more towards India.
• “Bangladesh's saturation began a while ago, but the orders did not shift to India. Most are moving to Cambodia, Vietnam, and Indonesia. India has potential, but our product range is not evolving, and we are not reaping the benefits,” 
• The Bangladeshi textile and garment industry, which accounts for over 80% of the country’s total export earnings and contributes about 11% to its GDP, employs over four million workers and generates around $45 billion.
• This industry was already facing challenges due to weakened electricity infrastructure, increased input costs following the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war, and adverse weather events, according to S&P Global