Samarjitsinh Gaekwad: Difference between revisions

'''Samarjitsinh Ranjitsinh Gaekwad''' (born 25 April 1967) is the current head of the [[Gaekwad dynasty]] and the unofficial<ref name="maharaja" group="note">The [[Government of India]] abolished all official titles, privileges and remuneration of [[princely state]]s in 1971 through the 26th amendment to the [[Constitution of India]]</ref> [[Baroda State|Maharaja of Baroda]] since 2012. He is also a [[cricket]] administrator and former [[first-class cricket]]er.

Samarjitsinh was born on 25 April 1967 as the only son of [[Ranjitsinh Pratapsinh Gaekwad]] and Shubhanginiraje.<ref name=itoday/> He studied at [[The Doon School]] in [[Dehradun]] where he simultaneously captained the school's cricket, football and tennis teams.<ref name=messier>{{cite news |last1=Mahurkar |first1=Uday |title=Gaekwad inheritance: Legal battle for control of Vadodara royal family property gets messier |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/controversy/story/20050829-legal-battle-for-control-of-vadodara-royal-family-property-gets-messier-787118-2005-08-29 |accessdate=13 September 2019 |work=India Today |date=29 August 2005}}</ref> Ranjitsinh became the unofficial Maharaja of Baroda after the death of his elder brother [[Fatehsinghrao Gaekwad]] in 1988.<ref name=tgraph>{{cite news |last1=Nelson |first1=Dean |title=Baroda Maharaja settles £3 billion inheritance feud |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/10402343/Baroda-Maharaja-settles-3-billion-inheritance-feud.html |accessdate=7 September 2019 |work=The Telegraph |date=24 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730190603/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/10402343/Baroda-Maharaja-settles-3-billion-inheritance-feud.html |archive-date=30 July 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

As Ranjitsinh became the Maharaja, Samarjitsinh became part of the line of succession for the Baroda's Gaekwad dynasty. After the death of his father in May 2012, Samarjitsinh became the natural successor to the throne. He was crowned Maharaja in a traditional ceremony at [[Laxmi Vilas Palace, Vadodara|Laxmi Vilas Palace]] on 22 June 2012.<ref name=itoday>{{cite news |title=Samarjitsinh crowned new Gaekwad of Vadodara |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/north/story/samarjitsinh-crowned-new-gaekwad-of-vadodara-106716-2012-06-23 |accessdate=7 September 2019 |work=India Today |date=23 June 2012}}</ref> He settled a 23-year-long legal inheritance dispute worth more than {{INRConvert|20000|c|year=2013}} (~ {{USD}}3&nbsp;billion in 2013) with his uncle [[Sangramsinh Gaekwad]] in 2013. Through the deal, Samarjitsinh secured ownership of Laxmi Vilas Palace, over {{Convert|600|acre}} of real estate near the palace including [[Moti Bagh Stadium]] and [[Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum]], several paintings by [[Raja Ravi Varma]] as well as movable assets belonging to Fatehsinghrao such as gold, silver and royal jewelry.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pathak |first1=Maulik |title=Vadodara's royal Gaekwad family ends inheritance dispute |url=https://www.livemint.com/Politics/l1iY3tSeKl35LjNmpZHLrL/Vadodaras-royal-Gaekwad-family-ends-inheritance-dispute.html |accessdate=7 September 2019 |work=Livemint |date=24 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131165017/http://www.livemint.com/Politics/l1iY3tSeKl35LjNmpZHLrL/Vadodaras-royal-Gaekwad-family-ends-inheritance-dispute.html |archive-date=31 January 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=week/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Jolly |first1=Asit |title=The Royal Bounty |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/heritage/story/20131111-baroda-empire-gaekwad-laxmi-vilas-palace-ranjitsinh-gaekwad-768375-1999-11-30 |accessdate=8 September 2019 |work=India Today |date=11 November 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Members of ex-Indian royal family end dispute over palaces, diamonds |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/members-of-ex-indian-royal-family-end-dispute-over-palaces-diamonds |accessdate=10 September 2019 |work=The Straits Times |date=24 October 2013}}</ref> He also obtained control of temples trust that operates 17 temples in [[Gujarat]] and in Banaras, Uttar Pradesh.<ref name=amirror>{{cite news |last1=Mallik |first1=Pradeep |title=THE ROYAL TRUCE |url=https://ahmedabadmirror.indiatimes.com/news/india/the-royal-truce/articleshow/35780115.cms |accessdate=7 September 2019 |work=Ahmedabad Mirror |date=27 October 2013}}</ref>