Prince Shivaji Rajah Bhosle of Thanjavur had been elected as the President of Hindavi Swarajya Mahasangh- an association of royal families in India.

                                           Maharaja Serfoji's Contribution to Education: 

Maharaja Serfoji ll started the first stone type granite printing press with Devanagari type in 1805 A.D. at Thanjavur. This small press known as "Navavidya Kalanidhi" in Tanjore, printed the first edition of the book "Raghuvams'a" in Sanskrit. The main aim of the King in setting up the printing press was for the production of copies of all the great works in different Indian languages for its publication and circulation among his people, especially for the students studying in the schools established by him. This miniature University also called as "Navavidya Kalanidhi Sala" had several departments attached to it such as Arts, Philosophy, Astronomy, Fine Arts and Linguistics (Persian, Arabic, Telugu, Sanskrit, Marathi and English). This institution was mainly intended to impart knowledge free of cost to the boys and girls of Tanjore. The avidity and zeal with which he worked hard for the spread of knowledge to the people of his kingdom especially the younger ones is really laudable. His Vedic school which taught Alankara Sastra and Puranic subjects was open to all the children irrespective of the social strata they belonged to.

Painting of Maharajah Serfoji ll