Ranjitsinh Pratapsinh Gaekwad

Ranjitsinhrao Gaekwad (8 May 1938 – 10 May 2012) was an Indian politician.

Early life and education
Born 8 May 1938 at Ootacamund, Ranjitsinhrao Gaekwad was the second son of Maharaja Pratap Singh Rao Gaekwad (r. 1939–1951), and Maharani Shantadevi Gaekwad (d. 2002), daughter of Sardar Hausrkar Mansinhrao Subbarao of Hasur in Kolhapur. Her daughter, Mrunalini Devi Puar was the Chancellor of The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. He also obtained post graduate degree in fine arts from Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.

He was the younger brother of Fatehsinghrao Gaekwad, who was the titular Maharaja of Baroda from 1951 to 1971. 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)

Death
Ranjitsinh died on 10 May 2012, aged 74, in Vadodara.

Career
Gaekwad was a member of the Indian National Congress and was elected to the Lok Sabha for two terms from Baroda from 1980 to 1989. Ranjitsinhrao Gaekwad was also a well-known painter.

In His Memory


A two days festival of The Maharaja Ranjitsinh Gaekwad Festival of Arts is annually organized, in his memory at the Durbar Hall in Laxmi Vilas Palace. This festival celebrates the spirit of Ranjitsinh Gaekwad’s life as an artist and musician many prominent artists like Ustad Fazal Qureshi, Anand Bhate, Sukhad Mande, and many more live performances.

During the festival, the Raja Ravi Varma Award for Excellence in the Field of Visual Arts was presented to veteran artist Jayant Parikh and posthumously to artists late Jyotsna Bhatt and late Rini Dhumal.

A scholarship is also given to meritorious MSU Faculty of Performing Arts students.