Oxford University Press (OUP) India said on Tuesday that it regretted publishing “unverified statements” about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the book Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India, following objections raised by Udayanraje Bhosale, the 13th descendant of the Maratha king.

In a public notice published in a newspaper, OUP India said that some statements appearing on pages 31, 33, 34 and 93 of the book, written by American author James Laine and published in 2003, were not adequately verified.

The book had triggered widespread outrage in Maharashtra in January 2004 after more than 150 activists belonging to the Sambhaji Brigade ransacked the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) in Pune. Protesters alleged that the institute had assisted Laine in writing the book, which they claimed contained objectionable remarks about Shivaji Maharaj.

The incident sparked a national debate on academic freedom, historical interpretation and responsibility of publishers, and led to the withdrawal of the book from circulation in India. OUP India’s apology marks a rare public acknowledgment related to the long-running controversy.

In the notice, the publisher expressed regret over the publication of those statements and tendered an apology to Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale and to the public at large "for any distress and anguish caused".

The apology was issued on behalf of the OUP's former Managing Director, Sayeed Manzar Khan, the notice said.