Vijayaraji
Encyclopedia
H.H.
Maharajadhiraj Mirza
Maharao
Sri
Vijayaraji Khengarji Sawai
Bahadur
(2 September 1885 - 26 February 1948) was the ruling Maharao of the princely state
of Kutch from 1942 to his death in 1948.
As Yuvraj
, Sir Vijayraji worked closely with his father, Khengarji III, and often was left to administer the state during his father's frequent journeys abroad.
He was married on 6th March 1907 to HH Maharani Shri Padmakunwar Ba Sahiba, daughter of HH Maharao Kesari Singhji Bahadur of Sirohi
and had several issues.
He built upon his father's reforms, instituting the Kutch High Court, elected village councils and greatly expanded irrigation works and agricultural development in the state.
Sir Vijayraji was a botanist and ornithologist. He enjoyed cricket, football, tennis, sculling and loved going on shikar. In year 1929 the Vijay Vilas Palace at Mandvi
, was built by his father Maharaja Kehngarji Bawa, for him and was named after him.
In year 1947, upon advice of Gandhiji, 15000 acres (60.7 km²) of land was donated by the Maharaj of Kutch, His Highness Maharao Shri Vijayrajji Khengarji Jadeja for re-settlement of refugee Hindu
Sindhi community, who migrated across the border into India upon partition.The towns of Gandhidham
and Adipur
were developed on this land donated by him.
He acceded the Princely State of Cutch to the Dominion of India
on 16th August, 1947.As he was in London
at the time India got independence, he took a decision from there only and the Instrument of Accession
of Kutch was signed on his behalf by the Heir & his son Meghraji, on his behalf.. He died on 26th January, 1948, aged 62 and was succeeded by his son and Yuvraj
, Meghraji.
Highness
Highness, often used with a possessive adjective , is an attribute referring to the rank of the dynasty in an address...
Maharajadhiraj Mirza
Mirza
Mirza , is of Persian origin, denoting the rank of a high nobleman or Prince. It is usually translated into English as a royal or imperial Prince of the Blood...
Maharao
Maharao
Maharao is a variation on the Indian royal title Maharaja, also meaning 'Great king' in Hindi. It is composed of Maha- 'great' and the royal title Rao, a variation on Raja.-Salute states :...
Sri
Sri
Sri , also transliterated as Shri or Shree or shre is a word of Sanskrit origin, used in the Indian subcontinent as polite form of address equivalent to the English "Mr." in written and spoken language, or as a title of veneration for deities .-Etymology:Sri has the root meaning of radiance, or...
Vijayaraji Khengarji Sawai
Sawai
Sawai in India, may refer to Honorary title generally used with Bahadur, for example Sawai Bahadur. Sawai literally means a quarter over one .Sawai may also refer to:*Sawai, a language*Sawai, a tropical tree...
Bahadur
Rao Bahadur
Rao Bahadur was a title of honour issued in British India to individuals who had performed great service to the nation....
(2 September 1885 - 26 February 1948) was the ruling Maharao of the princely state
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
of Kutch from 1942 to his death in 1948.
As Yuvraj
Yuvraj
Yuvraj, Yuvaraja, or Yuvaraj is an Indian title for "Crown Prince", i.e., heir apparent to the throne of an Indian Princely State or former Hindu kingdom ruling the India before Indian independence...
, Sir Vijayraji worked closely with his father, Khengarji III, and often was left to administer the state during his father's frequent journeys abroad.
He was married on 6th March 1907 to HH Maharani Shri Padmakunwar Ba Sahiba, daughter of HH Maharao Kesari Singhji Bahadur of Sirohi
Sirohi
Sirohi is a city in southern Rajasthan state in western India. It is the administrative headquarters of Sirohi District, and was formerly the capital of the princely state of the same name. Nearest railway station to Sirohi is Sirohi Road station.-Geography:...
and had several issues.
He built upon his father's reforms, instituting the Kutch High Court, elected village councils and greatly expanded irrigation works and agricultural development in the state.
Sir Vijayraji was a botanist and ornithologist. He enjoyed cricket, football, tennis, sculling and loved going on shikar. In year 1929 the Vijay Vilas Palace at Mandvi
Mandvi
Mandvi is a city and a Municipality in Kachchh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It was once a major port of the region and summer retreat for Maharao of the Kachchh. The old city had a surrounding fort, and remains of the fort wall can still be seen to this day...
, was built by his father Maharaja Kehngarji Bawa, for him and was named after him.
In year 1947, upon advice of Gandhiji, 15000 acres (60.7 km²) of land was donated by the Maharaj of Kutch, His Highness Maharao Shri Vijayrajji Khengarji Jadeja for re-settlement of refugee Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Sindhi community, who migrated across the border into India upon partition.The towns of Gandhidham
Gandhidham
Gandhidham is a city and a municipality in the Kachchh District of Gujarat state of India. The town was created in the early 1950s for the resettlement of the refugees from Sindh of Pakistan in the aftermath of the partition of India....
and Adipur
Adipur
Adipur is a city in Kutch district in the state of Gujarat, India. The town is situated approximately from the Gulf of Kutch.-History:Adipur was originally founded as a refugee camp after the partition of India, in 1947, by the government of India. Its running was later passed onto a...
were developed on this land donated by him.
He acceded the Princely State of Cutch to the Dominion of India
Dominion of India
The Dominion of India, also known as the Union of India or the Indian Union , was a predecessor to modern-day India and an independent state that existed between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950...
on 16th August, 1947.As he was in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
at the time India got independence, he took a decision from there only and the Instrument of Accession
Instrument of Accession
The Instrument of Accession was a legal document created in 1947 to enable each of the rulers of the princely states under British suzerainty to join one of the new dominions of India or Pakistan created by the Partition of British India.-Background:...
of Kutch was signed on his behalf by the Heir & his son Meghraji, on his behalf.. He died on 26th January, 1948, aged 62 and was succeeded by his son and Yuvraj
Yuvraj
Yuvraj, Yuvaraja, or Yuvaraj is an Indian title for "Crown Prince", i.e., heir apparent to the throne of an Indian Princely State or former Hindu kingdom ruling the India before Indian independence...
, Meghraji.
Titles
- 1885-1942: Maharajkumar Shri Vijayrajsinhji Khengarji, YuvrajYuvrajYuvraj, Yuvaraja, or Yuvaraj is an Indian title for "Crown Prince", i.e., heir apparent to the throne of an Indian Princely State or former Hindu kingdom ruling the India before Indian independence...
SahibSahibSahib is an Urdu term which literally translates to "Owner" or "Proprietor". The primary Arabic meaning of Sahib is "associate, companion, comrade, friend" though it also includes "Sahib is an Urdu term which literally translates to "Owner" or "Proprietor". The primary Arabic meaning of Sahib...
of Cutch - 1942-1945: ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
His Highness Maharajadhiraj MirzaMirzaMirza , is of Persian origin, denoting the rank of a high nobleman or Prince. It is usually translated into English as a royal or imperial Prince of the Blood...
MaharaoMaharaoMaharao is a variation on the Indian royal title Maharaja, also meaning 'Great king' in Hindi. It is composed of Maha- 'great' and the royal title Rao, a variation on Raja.-Salute states :...
Shri Vijayarajji Sawai Bahadur, MaharaoMaharaoMaharao is a variation on the Indian royal title Maharaja, also meaning 'Great king' in Hindi. It is composed of Maha- 'great' and the royal title Rao, a variation on Raja.-Salute states :...
of Cutch - 1945-1948: Colonel His Highness Maharajadhiraj Mirza Maharao Shri SirSirSir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Vijayarajji Sawai Bahadur, Maharao of Cutch, GBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
Honours
- Delhi Durbar Silver Medal, 1911
- King George V Silver Jubilee Medal, 1935
- King George VI Coronation Medal, 1937
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE), 1945
- Indian Independence Medal, 1947