Himmatsinhji M. K.

Himmatsinhji M. K.[nb 1] (9 October 1928 – 22 February 2008) was a noted ornithologist, politician and scion of the erstwhile Jadeja ruling family of Kutch.[1][2]

Life-sketch

Early life

Born on 9 October 1928 at Bhuj, Maharaj Kumar Himmatsinhji was the youngest of five sons of Mirza Maharao Vijayrajji Sawai Bahadur, the Maharaja of Cutch and as such younger brother of last Maharaja of Cutch, Shri Madansinhji. His early education was under private tutors and later educated at Rajkumar College, Rajkot. He later studied agriculture at Wadia College, Pune.[1][2][3]

In 1947, when India got independence, his father Sri Vijayaraji was away in US for his treatment and Yuvraj Madansinhji was in Delhi. Himmatsinhji, who was at the time a student, hoisted both the flags of Kutch and of India on 15 August 1947, in the grounds of Gangaba Sahib Middle School at Bhuj.[4]

He married Princess Padmini Kumari, daughter of Maharaja Pratapsinhji Jhala of Wankaner in 1951.[3]

Politics

After independence of India, he represented Kutch constituency in 3rd Lok Sabha, for the years 1962–67, as a member of Swatantra Party which won over the rival Congress party.[1][5] He was also President of local caste body of Rajputs – Sri Cutch Rajput Sabha, for several decades.[3][6]

Trustee

He also served as trustee of Ashapura Mata temple at Mata no Madh and Narayan Sarovar Temples.[1]

Ornithologist

Himmatsinhji's great grandfather, Maharao Pragmalji had formed a museum of natural history in Bhuj while his grandfather Maharao Khengarji was among the first Indian members of the Bombay Natural History Society.[2] Himmatsinhji's father, Maharao Vijayaraji, funded Salim Ali's survey of the birds of Kutch and Himmatsinhji took considerable interest and later became an ornithologist in his own right[1][2][3][7][8] and regularly published notes on the birds of the Kutch region,[9] most of these were in the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society apart from a few books and these include:

Short notes and articles

Books

Death

He died at Bhuj on 22 February 2008 and is survived by a daughter.[1][3]

References

  1. ↑ M. K. stands for Maharaj Kumar
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Kutch's royal family member passes away". One India News. 22 February 2008. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Khachar, Lavkumar (2008). "Obituary. Himmatsinhji October 9, 1928 to February 22, 2008". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 105 (1): 86.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Cutch State
  4. ↑ Bhuj: art, architecture, history, Part 4 by Azhar Tyabji, Environmental Planning Collaborative (Ahmadābād, India). Mapin. 2006. p. 59.
  5. ↑ The Swatantra Party and Indian Conservatism by H. L. Erdman – 2007 – Page 310
  6. ↑ Organiser – Volume 26, 1972 – Page 154
  7. ↑ Birds of Arid and Semi-arid Tracts by Ajit Kumar Mukherjee – 1995, Page 287
  8. ↑ Stonechats. 2010. p. 99.
  9. ↑ bibliography of south asian ornithology

Further reading

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