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[[File:Muhammad Mahabat Khanji III.jpg|thumb|Muhammad Mahabat Khan III]]
{{short description|Last ruling Nawab of the princely state of Junagadh}}
{{more citations needed|date=April 2012}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = [[Sir]] Muhammad Mahabat Khan III Khanji<br/> મુહમ્મદ ખાનજી ત્રીજા <br/>{{nq|محمد محبت خان خان جی}}
| native_name =
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| predecessor =
| successor = [[Muhammad Dilawar Khanji]] (Claimed)
| title = [[Nawab of Junagarh]]
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| term = 22 January 1911 — 25 February 1948
| party =
| birth_name = Mahabat Khanji
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1900|8|2}}
| birth_place = [[Junagadh]], [[Junagadh State]], [[British Raj|India]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1959|11|7|1900|8|2}}
| death_place = [[Karachi]], [[Federal Capital Territory (Pakistan)|Federal Capital Territory]], [[Pakistan]]
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| citizenship =
| nationality = [[Pakistan]]i, [[Indian people|Indian]]
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| children = [[Muhammad Dilawar Khanji]] (son)
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| residence = [[Junagadh State]]
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| honorific_prefix = [[Nawabzada]]
| honorific_suffix = [[Nawab]]
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| death_cause = [[Cardiac Arrest]]
| other_names = Rasul Khanji
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'''[[Sir]] Muhammad Mahabat Khanji III Rasul Khanji''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|GCIE|KCSI}} ([[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]:મુહમ્મદ ખાન ત્રીજાની, [[Urdu]]:{{nq|محمد خان خان جی}} 2 August 1900 – 7 November 1959), was the last ruling [[Nawab of Junagadh]] of the [[princely state]] of [[Junagadh State|Junagadh]] in [[British India]]/[[India]] from 1911 to 1948. He was the father of [[Muhammad Dilawar Khanji]] – Former Governor of Sindh and his claimed successor. Famed for his extravagant lifestyle and his love of dogs, his decision to accede Junagadh to the [[Dominion of Pakistan]] following [[Independence of India|India's Independence]] led to the [[Indian Army]] taking military action. He is credited with pioneering a conservation effort in what is now the [[Gir National Park]] that saved [[Asiatic lion|India's last few lions]] from almost certain [[extinction]].<ref name=Kinnear1920>{{cite journal |author=Kinnear, N. B. |year=1920 |title=The past and present distribution of the lion in south eastern Asia |journal=Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society |volume=27 |pages=34–39 |url=https://archive.org/stream/journalofbombayn27192022bomb#page/32/mode/2up}}</ref>

==Early life==
''[[Nawabzada]]'' Muhammad Mahabat Khanji III was born on 2 August 1900 at [[Junagadh]], the fourth son of HH Nawab Sir Muhammad Rasul Khanji, [[GCSI]] (1858–1911; r. 1892-1911). As the fourth son, Mahabat was not expected to succeed to the ''musnaid'' of Junagadh; however, following the death of his three elder brothers by the time he was eight, he was made heir apparent, and succeeded his father upon his death in 1911. Mahabat was educated at [[Mayo College]], and ruled under a [[Regent|regency]] until his formal accession on 31 March 1920. The following year, he was raised to a 15-gun personal and local [[gun salute]]; in 1926, he was [[knighted]].

==Reign==
According to Sir Cyril Hancock, the former Resident of Western States, the [[Nawab]] was well loved by his people and the state was well administered. Hancock had a high opinion of Nawab's personal qualities.{{sfn|Ankit, The accession of Junagadh|2016|p=397}}

During his reign, the Nawab oversaw the opening of the Willingdon Dam, the construction of the Bahadur Khanji Library (named after his ancestor, the first Nawab) and the opening of the Mahabat Khan Free College.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}}

Mahabat Khanji was widely known for his love of animals, particularly [[dog]]s. At one point, he owned over 2000 high-pedigree dogs and is known to have spent several thousand rupees on grand birthday and 'marriage' parties for his favourite dogs.{{sfn|Raghavan, War and Peace in Modern India|2010|p=31}} However, Mahabat Khanji's love for animals also extended to the regional wildlife, particularly the [[Asiatic lion]], which at the time was on the verge of extinction in India.<ref name=Kinnear1920/> The Nawab helped to forestall this by preserving vast tracts of the [[Gir Forest National Park|Gir forest]] in order to provide the lions with a stable habitat. He was also interested in animal husbandry, and his efforts in the field served to greatly improve the breeding stock of the local [[Kathiawari (horse)|Kathiawari]] stallions and of the [[Gir cattle|Gir cows]].

==The accession conflict==
{{main|Indian Integration of Junagadh}}

At the time of [[Partition of India|Indian independence]] in August 1947, all of the princely states were advised to accede to either of the two dominions of India or Pakistan. By 15 August 1947, most of these states in the interior of India had chosen to accede to India.

Nawab Sir Mahabat Khan, however, spent the summer of 1947 on holiday in Europe.{{sfn|Raghavan, War and Peace in Modern India|2010|p=31}} In his absence, his ''[[dewan]]'', [[Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto]], ran the affairs of the state, and he hobnobbed with [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]] to join the state to Pakistan. On 11 August 1947, upon his return from his holiday, the Nawab made the decision to accede to Pakistan and sent an emissary to negotiate with Jinnah.{{sfn|Raghavan, War and Peace in Modern India|2010|p=32}}

Junagadh's population was predominantly Hindu, with the Muslim population accounting for only about a fifth of its total population.

With Pakistan's acceptance of Junagadh's accession on 16 September, the Indian government took drastic action, inducing two of the Nawab's vassals, [[Mangrol State|Mangrol]] and [[Babariyawad]], to accede to India. The first [[Home Minister]] of independent [[India]], [[Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel]], played a major role in this regard.

Sir Mahabat Khanji, his family (including his dogs), and his ''[[dewan]]'' (prime minister), [[Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto]], fled by plane to Pakistan on 24 October, never to return. Reportedly one of his begums and her child were left behind in the chaotic escape. Bhutto wrote to [[Samaldas Gandhi]], leader of the ''Arzi Hukumat'' (or ''government in exile''), to take over Junagadh.

The [[Indian Army]] then took over Junagadh on 9 November, installed a new state [[Governor]], and called for a public referendum on the status of the state. The referendum, arranged by the Indian government, was held on 20 February 1948. Of over 200,000 people who voted, 91 percent chose India while the rest chose Pakistan. The following year, on 20 January 1949, Junagadh was merged into the new Indian state of [[Saurashtra (region)|Saurashtra]].

==Exile and death==
After his exile from Junagadh, Sir Mahabat Khanji and his family settled at [[Karachi]], where he died, aged 59, on 17 November 1959 of [[Cardiac arrest]]. He was succeeded by his eldest son, [[Muhammad Dilawar Khanji]], who claimed to be rightful Nawab of the state ''in absentia''. The former Junagadh princely family still resides in Karachi.

==Titles==
*1900-1908: [[Nawabzada]] Muhammad Mahabat Khanji III Rasul Khanji
*1908-1911: Wali Ahad Bahadur Nawabzada Muhammad Mahabat Khanji III Rasul Khanji
*1911-1926: [[His Highness]] [[Sri]] [[Diwan (title)|Diwan]] [[Nawab]] Muhammad Mahabat Khanji III Rasul Khanji, [[Nawab]] [[Sahib]] of [[Junagadh]]
*1926-1931: His Highness Sri Diwan Nawab [[Sir]] Muhammad Mahabat Khanji III Rasul Khanji, Nawab Sahib of Junagadh, [[Order of the Star of India|KCSI]]
*1931-1937: His Highness Sri Diwan Nawab Sir Muhammad Mahabat Khanji III Rasul Khanji, Nawab Sahib of Junagadh, [[GCIE]], KCSI
*1937-1942: [[Captain (land and air)|Captain]] His Highness Sri Diwan Nawab Sir Muhammad Mahabat Khanji III Rasul Khanji, Nawab Sahib of Junagadh, GCIE, KCSI
*1942-1946: [[Major]] His Highness Sri Diwan Nawab Sir Muhammad Mahabat Khanji III Rasul Khanji, Nawab Sahib of Junagadh, GCIE, KCSI
*1946-1957: [[Colonel]] His Highness Sri Diwan Nawab Sir Muhammad Mahabat Khanji III Rasul Khanji, Nawab Sahib of Junagadh, GCIE, KCSI
*1957-1959: Colonel His Highness Sri Diwan Nawab Sir Muhammad Mahabat Khanji III Rasul Khanji, Nawab Sahib of Junagadh, GCIE, KCSI, [[Civil decorations of Pakistan|NQA]]

==Honours==
*Delhi Durbar Medal-1911
*[[Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India]] (KCSI)-1926
*[[Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire]] (GCIE)-1931
*[[King George V Silver Jubilee Medal]]-1935
*[[King George VI Coronation Medal]]-1937
*Pakistan Independence Medal-1948
*Order of the Great Leader, 1st Class (''Nishan-e-Quaid-i-Azam'') - 1957

==See also==
* [[Nawab of Junagadh]]
* [[Junagadh]]
* [[Pathans of Gujarat]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
* {{citation |last1=Ankit |first1=R. |title=The accession of Junagadh, 1947-48: Colonial sovereignty, state violence and post-independence India |journal=Indian Economic & Social History Review |volume=53 |issue=3 |year=2016 |pages=371–404 |doi=10.1177/0019464616651167 |s2cid=147765080 |ref={{sfnref|Ankit, The accession of Junagadh|2016}}}}
* {{citation |last=Hodson |first=H. V. |title=The Great Divide: Britain, India, Pakistan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MC2UoAEACAAJ |year=1969 |publisher=Hutchinson |location=London |isbn=9780090971503 |ref={{sfnref|Hodson, The Great Divide|1969}}}}
* {{citation |last=Raghavan |first=Srinath |title=War and Peace in Modern India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EbtBJb1bsHUC&pg=PA31 |date=2010 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |isbn=978-1-137-00737-7 |ref={{sfnref|Raghavan, War and Peace in Modern India|2010}}}}

==External links==
* [http://www.junagadhstate.org Official Website of State of Junagadh]
* [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030524/windows/main2.htm Passion royale for pampering pets], [[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]], 24 May 2003.

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Muhammad Mahabat Khan III}}
[[Category:20th-century Indian monarchs]]
[[Category:Indian Muslims]]
[[Category:Nawabs of India]]
[[Category:Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India]]
[[Category:1900 births]]
[[Category:1959 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Junagadh]]
[[Category:Indian naturalists]]
[[Category:Indian knights]]
[[Category:Pakistani people of Gujarati descent]]
[[Category:Founders of Indian schools and colleges]]
[[Category:Indian people of Pashtun descent]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian zoologists]]
[[Category:Infectious disease deaths in Sindh]]
[[Category:20th-century naturalists]]

Muhammad Mahabat Khan III - Revision history

imported>Keval Tatmiya at 21:01, 7 August 2021