Nana Fadnavis (Paperback)

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Balaji Janardan Bhanu was born in a Chitpavan Brahman family in Satara in 1742 and was nicknamed ''Nana''. His grandfather Balaji Mahadaji Bhanu had migrated from village "Velas" near "Shrivardhan" along with the 1st Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath Bhat. The Bhats and the Bhanus had family relations then and also a deep friendship as both the families were from Chitpavan Brahmins inheriting the respective positions as ''Mahajan'' Head of the nearby Town''s namely ''Velas'' and ''Shrivardhan''. Balaji Mahadji had saved the life of the Peshwa in a murderous plot by the Mughals. The Peshwa therefore recommended Chattrapati Shahu to award the title of Phadnavis (one of the Ashtapradhan) to Bhanu. Later, as the Peshwa became the defacto head of state, Phadnavis became the main minister who held key portfolios of Administration and Finance for the Maratha Empire during Peshwa regime.