Ranjitsinh Pratapsinh Gaekwad

Ranjitsinhrao Gaekwad (8 May 1938 – 10 May 2012)^[1] was an Indian politician.

Ranjitsinh Gaekwad
Titular Maharaja of Baroda
Baroda State
Tenure	1988 – 2012
Coronation	1988
Predecessor	Fatehsinghrao Gaekwad
Successor	Samarjitsinh Gaekwad
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office 1980–1989
Preceded by	Fatehsinghrao Gaekwad
Succeeded by	Prakash Koko Brahmbhatt
Constituency	Baroda
Personal details
Born	8 May 1938 Ootacamund, Madras Presidency, British India
Died	10 May 2012 (aged 74) Vadodara, Gujarat, India
Political party	Indian National Congress
Spouse	Shubhanginiraje
Parents	Pratap Singh Rao Gaekwad (father) Maharani Shantadevi Gaekwad (mother)

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.^[2] 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^[3] 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).^[4]

Death

Ranjitsinh died on 10 May 2012, aged 74, in Vadodara.^[5]

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.^[6][7] Ranjitsinhrao Gaekwad was also a well-known painter.^[8]

In His Memory

The Raja Ravi Varma Award for Excellence in the Field of Visual Arts was presented to veteran artist Jayant Parikh by Shubhanginiraje Gaekwad.

A two days festival of The Maharaja Ranjitsinh Gaekwad Festival of Arts^[9] 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.^[10]

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