Fatehsinghrao Gaekwad

Fatehsinghrao II Gaekwad ( called Jackie Baroda, born April 2, 1930 in Baroda, † September 1, 1988 in Mumbai) was Maharaja Gaekwad and last ruler of the princely state of Baroda and Indian politicians.

Biography

Maharaja and political career

He was the last descendant of a prince family, which went back to his great great great grandfather, who was himself born in a poor family and the age of thirteen took the Prince dignity. After training by English tutors, he was in 1951 after the deposition of his father Maharaja Gaekwar and the princely state of Baroda and thus also the owner of a fortune of around £ 15 million.

In 1957, he was also politically active and to members of the lower house ( Lok Sabha ) elected, to which he belonged after the re-election from 1962 to 1967. From 1967 to 1971 he was Minister of Health, Fisheries and prisons in the state government of Gujarat.

After Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1971 all the titles and privileges of Indian princes and princes abolished, although he protested against the scheme adopted yet and was then the custom name to Jackie Baroda. His palace has been converted into a museum and art center.

Other activities

After a two-month safari in the Belgian Congo in the early 1950s he became the animal rights activists who built a zoo on the one on the grounds of his palace, took to another but also functions at the World Wildlife Fund.

He was also a well-known cricketer of his time as a hitter ( batsman ), who also played for the Ranji Trophy, one of the most important national cricket competitions. At the age of just 29, he was manager of the 1959 Tour Indian cricket team at a UK tour. Between 1978 and 1979 as well as 1982 and 1983 he was again Team Manager with a tour of Pakistan. Finally, he was moderator of cricket matches at the BBC.