Mahad  pronunciation (help·info)(Marathi: महाड) is a city and a municipal council in Raigad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It has total population over 50,000. It is situated about 175 km to the south of Mumbai (erstwhile Bombay). It has become the center of attraction because of its beautiful surroundings and pleasant climate. Mahad has a personality of its own due to its mythological, historical, social and cultural importance. The city, vibrant and active on the industrial, political, social and cultural fronts, has influenced the lives of some great personalities.

Mahad is considered as Land of Freedom Fighters and many revolutionary freedom moments of India are occurred here. It is famous for the Drinking Water Satyagraha of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar for Dalits at Chavdar Tale,which played as turning point in indian sociopolitical history.

Apart from this, it had a glorious history during the rule of the great Maratha King Shivaji.The capital of hindavi Swarajya & samadhi of Shivaji Maharaj is at Raigad fort which is around 30Kms from city. It was part of Birwadi Subha (Tehsil) and was ruled by Birwadi Subhedar's Kadams (Mahamunkars). The samadhi of Shivaji's mother Jijabai is at Pachad situated at foothills of raigad fort.The famous Hirkani was from Raigadwadi village. Shivaji's guru Samarth Ramdas lived at Shivthar Ghal near Varandha Ghat about 30kms from city. The village Umarath of Tanaji Malusare & Kinjaloli of Murarbaji are also in vicinity of Mahad.

Uddhav Thackeray (Marathi: उद्धव ठाकरे) (born 27 July 1960) is the executive president of the Shiv Sena, a right-wing, Marathi ethnocentric regional political party based in the Indian state of Maharashtra. He was given this role in 2004, taking over from his father and party founder, Hindu nationalist politician Balasaheb Thackeray.

Earlier, Uddhav was looking after Saamana (a daily Marathi newspaper) while being actively involved in election campaigning activities. The party won the Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation election in 2002 and, thereafter, he was appointed as the party working president in 2003. Differences between Thackeray and former Shiv Sena leader Narayan Rane culminated in the expulsion of Rane from the Shiv Sena. Another split in the Sena came when Thackeray and his cousin Raj Thackeray had a falling-out, leading to Raj leaving the Shiv Sena in 2006 to form his own party, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.

The Maharashtra Desha, a book by Uddhav, depicts the heritage of Maharashtra in the form of aerial photographs.