Fatehsinghrao Gaekwad

Fatehsinghrao Prataprao Gaekwad II (2 April 1930 – 1 September 1988) was an Indian politician, cricketer, and titular Maharaja of Baroda from 1951 until 1988. In the 26th amendment to the Constitution of India promulgated in 1971, the Government of India abolished all official symbols of princely India, including titles, privileges, and remuneration (privy purses). 1., "Through a constitutional amendment passed in 1971, Indira Gandhi stripped the princes of the titles, privy purses and regal privileges which her father's government had granted." (p 278). 2. Quote: "The princes of India – their number and variety reflecting to a large extent the chaos that had come to the country with the break up of the Mughal empire – had lost real power in the British time.  Through generations of idle servitude they had grown to specialize only in style.  A bogus, extinguishable glamour: in 1947, with Independence, they had lost their state, and Mrs. Gandhi in 1971 had, without much public outcry, abolished their privy purses and titles." (pp 37–38). 3. Quote: "Although the Indian states were alternately requested or forced into union with either India or Pakistan, the real death of princely India came when the Twenty-sixth Amendment Act (1971) abolished the princes' titles, privileges, and privy purses." (page 78). 4.  Quote: "The third stage in the political evolution of the princes from rulers to citizens occurred in 1971, when the constitution ceased to recognize them as princes and their privy purses, titles, and special privileges were abolished." (page 84). 5. Quote: "Her success at the polls emboldened Mrs. Gandhi to act decisively against the princes. Through 1971, the two sides tried and failed to find a settlement. The princes were willing to forgo their privy purses, but hoped at least to save their titles. But with her overwhelming majority in Parliament, the prime minister had no need to compromise. On 2 December she introduced a bill to amend the constitution and abolish all princely privileges. It was passed in the Lok Sabha by 381 votes to six, and in the Rajya Sabha by 167 votes to seven. In her own speech, the prime minister invited 'the princes to join the elite of the modern age, the elite which earns respect by its talent, energy and contribution to human progress, all of which can only be done when we work together as equals without regarding anybody as of special status.' " (page 441). 6. Quote: "The Indian princes survived the British Raj by only a few years.  The Indian republic stripped them of their powers and then their titles." (page 10). 7. Quote: "Indian States: "Various (formerly) semi-independent areas in India ruled by native princes .... Under British rule ... administered by residents assisted by political agents. Titles and remaining privileges of princes abolished by Indian government 1971." (page 520). 8.  Quote: "A monarchy is only as good as the reigning monarch: thus it is with the princely states. Once they seemed immutable, invincible. In 1971 they were "derecognized," their privileges, privy purses and titles all abolished at a stroke" (page 91)

Fatehsinghrao Gaekwad was born to Pratap Singh Gaekwad, the last ruling Maharaja of Baroda and his first wife, Maharani Shantadevi Sahib Gaekwad (1914–2002). He succeeded as titular Maharaja of Baroda in 1951 when his father was deposed by the Government of India.

He served in public office as a Member of Parliament for Vadodara, from 1957 to 1967, and 1971 to 1980, representing various Congress factions. In 1967 he did not contest Lok Sabha elections, and was elected to Gujarat Vidhan Sabha from Sayajiganj seat. During his tenure in Lok Sabha, he served as Parliamentary Secretary of the Defense Ministry, Minister of Health, Fisheries and Jails, Chancellor of the Maharaja Sayajirao University in Baroda, and Chairman of the Board of Governors, National Institute of Sports in 1962-63. He was also the author of the book The Palaces of India (1980).

As a cricketer, Gaekwad represented Baroda in the Ranji Trophy between 1946 and 1958 and had a highest score of 99 in his first season. He was an attacking right-handed batsman. He played against the touring teams on various occasions between 1948 and 1954. He was an expert cricket commentator in radio and was made an honorary life member by the MCC.

Gaekwad was the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India from 1963 to 1966, after serving as Vice-President from 1959 to 1960 and again in 1962-63. He was the manager of the Baroda Cricket Association from 1960. Known in England as "Jackie Baroda", he managed the Indian tour of England in 1959 and of Pakistan in 1978-79 and 1982-83. He still holds the record of being the youngest president of BCCI.

He died in the Breach Candy Hospital in Bombay on 1 September 1988 at the age of fifty-eight, to be succeeded as titular Maharaja of Baroda by his younger brother, Ranjitsinhrao Gaekwad.