Wankaner (Princely State) - History, Genealogy, Picture & Map

Wankaner

Princely State

This province belong to a Rajput Dynasty.

Dynasty : Jhala

Hindi Name : वांकानेर

Religion : Hindu

Area : 1,080 km²

Privy Purse : ₹ 180,000

Gun Salutes : 11

State : Saurashtra

Accession : 15th February 1948

Agency : Gujarat States Agency

present head

HH Maharana Raj Saheb KESRI SINGHJI, Maharana Raj Saheb of Wankaner since 2021 (Ranjit Vilas Palace, Wankaner – 363621, Gujarat, India), born 5th November 1982, married on 17th February 2012 at Sirohi Palace (Mt. Abu) to HH Maharani Shri Yogini Kumari, daughter of Maharaj Shri Daivat Singhji of Sirohi by his wife Rani Shri Kirti Kanwarji.

History

Wankaner State was one of the princely states of India in the historical Halar region of Kathiawar during the period of the British Raj having eleven gun salute state belonging to the Kathiawar Agency of the Bombay Presidency..

Founded in 1605 by a grandson of Raj Chandrasinhji, the ruler of Dhrangadhra.

In 1807 Wankaner State became a British protectorate when Maharana Raj Sahib Chandrasinhji II Kesarisinhji signed a treaty with the British. In 1862 the ruler of the state received a sanad giving the monarch authorization to adopt an heir. The ruler acceded to the Indian Union on 15 February 1948.

GENEALOGY

Raj Saheb SARTANJI/SULTANJI, Raj Saheb of Wankaner 1605/1632, married 1^stly [name unknown] daughter of Jam Saheb JASAJI SATAJI of Nawanagar and married 2^ndly Pratapkunverba daughter of Rao VIRAMDASJI of Idar.
- Raj Saheb Mansinhji Sartanji (qv)
- Kumar Shri Ramsinhji Sartanji
Raj Saheb MANSINHJI SULTANJI, Raj Saheb of Wankaner 1632/1653
Raj Saheb RAISINHJI MANSINHJI, Raj Saheb of Wankaner 1653/1679
Raj Saheb CHANDRASINHJI I RAISINHJI, Raj Saheb of Wankaner 1679/1721
Raj Saheb PRITHVIRAJJI CHANDRASINHJI, Raj Saheb of Wankaner 1721/1728
Raj Saheb KESARISINHJI I CHANDRASINHJI, Raj Saheb of Wankaner 1728/1749
Raj Saheb BHAROJI KESARISINHJI [Bhavaji], Raj Saheb of Wankaner 1749/1784, married (amongst others), Rani Kunkabai Sahiba, daughter of Kumar Shri Sagramji Kumbhoji Sahib of Gondal, and had issue.
- Kumar Shri Raisinhji Bharoji, married and had issue. He died vp before 1784.
  - Raj Saheb Kesarisinhji II Raisinhji (qv)
Raj Saheb KESARISINHJI II RAISINHJI, Raj Saheb of Wankaner 1784/1787
Raj Saheb CHANDRASINHJI II KESARINHJI [Raj Dosaji], Raj Saheb of Wankaner 1787/1839
Raj Saheb VAKHATSINHJI CHANDRASINHJI, Raj Saheb of Wankaner 1839/1842, married and had issue, 8 sons.
- Kumar Shri Jaswantsinhji Vakhatsinhji, married and had issue. He died vp before 1842.
  - HH Maharana Raj Saheb Shri Banesinhji Jaswantsinhji (qv)
HH Maharana Raj Saheb Shri BANESINHJI JASWANTSINHJI, Maharana Raj Saheb of Wankaner 1842/1881, born 1842, installed 1861, married (amongst others), HH Maharani Shri Bajirajba, daughter of Thakore Saheb Meruji Modji, 5^th Thakore Saheb of Gavridad, and had issue. He died 12^th June 1881.
- Capt. HH Maharana Raj Saheb Shri Sir Amarsinhji Banesinhji (qv)
- Maharajkumari (name unknown), married (as his first wife), HH Maharana Shri Sir Chhatrasinhji Gambhirsinhji of Rajpipla.
- HH Maharani Takhat Kunverba Saheba, married 1916, HH Maharaja Purna Chandra Bhanj Deo of Mayurbhanj.
Capt. HH Maharana Raj Saheb Shri Sir AMARSINHJI BANESINHJI [Gangubha], Maharana Raj Saheb of Wankaner 1881/1954, K.C.I.E. [cr.1911], born 4^th January 1879, educated at Rajkumar College, Rajkot; married 1^stly, 1896, HH Maharani Shri Gulab Kunverba Sahiba, daughter of Shri Rajadhiraj Sir Naharsinhji Sahib Bahadur, Raja of Shahpura, married 2^ndly, HH Maharani Shri Devkunverba Sahiba, daughter of HH Thakore Sahib Shri Bawajiraj Mehramansinhji Sahib, Thakore Sahib of Rajkot, married 3^rdly, HH Maharani Shri Padmarajkunverba Sahiba, a lady from Mandva, married 4^thly, HH Maharani Shri Phul Kunverba Sahiba, daughter of Thakore Sahib Shri Vakhatsinhji Meghrajji Sahib, Thakore Sahib of Vala, and had issue. He died 1954.
- HH Maharani Takhat Kunverba Saheba, married 1916, HH Maharaja Purna Chandra Bhanj Deo of Mayurbhanj.
- Maharajkumari Manher Kunverba [HH Maharani Kusum Kunwari of Lunawada], married Col. HH Maharaja Sri Virbhadrasinhji Ranjitsinhji of Lunawada, and had issue.
- Rani Vilas Kunverba, married Raol Shri Sajjansinhji Takhatsinhji of Mansa, and had issue.
- HH Maharana Raj Saheb Pratapsinhji Amarsinhji (qv)
- Maharaj Saheb Chandra Bhanu Singhji, married Rani Kumud Manjli of Mayurbhanj, and had issue, four children.
  - Kumar Shri Jitendra Singh, married Camilla.
  - Kumar Shri Bhartendrasinhji Chandrabhanusinhji, educated at Rajkumar College, Rajkot (1947).
  - Rajkumari Bhagyawanti Devi, born 1^st February 1945 in Wankaner, Gujarat; married 24^th November 1968 in Wankaner, Maharaj Devendra Pal Singh of Jhabua, and has issue, one son.
- Maharajkumar Rasikkumarsinhji Jhala, married Baijilal Chandrawali Kumari, daughter of Rajkumar Pratap Singh, Yuvaraj Saheb of Banera, and had issue.
  - Kumar Shri Janakkumarsinhji Rasikkumarsinhji Jhala, educated at Rajkumar College, Rajkot (1964).
HH Maharana Raj Saheb PRATAPSINHJI AMARSINHJI, Maharana Raj Saheb of Wankaner 1954/2007, born 17^th April 1907; educated at Rajkumar College, Rajkot; succeeded on the death of his father in 1954; married 5^th February 1929, HH Maharani Rama Kunver, born 20^th February 1911, died 10^th February 1991, daughter of HH Rai-i-Rayan Maharawal Shri Bijay Singhji Bahadur of Dungarpur, and his first wife, HH Maharani Devendra Kumari, and had issue, two sons and three daughters. He died 22^nd May 2007.
- Maharajkumari Padmini Kumari [Rani Sahiba Padmini Kunverba of Kutch], married Maharajkumar Saheb Himmatsinhji Vijayrajji of Kutch, and had issue. She died 4^th December 2006 at Kutch after a long illness.
- Maharajkumari Nalini Kumari, married Maharajkumar Shivbhadrasinhji Krishnakumarsinhji Gohil of Bhavnagar.
- HH Maharani Mohini Kumari, married HH Maharaja Govind Singh of Bijawar, born 1934, died 1983, and has issue.
  - HH Maharaja Jai Singhji of Bijawar.
- HH Maharana Raj Saheb Dr. Digvijaysinhji (qv)
- Maharajkumar Dr. Ranjitsinhji, born 19^th February 1939, educated at Rajkumar College, Rajkot (1954); an expert on Indian wildlife and natural history, he has authored many books, including “Beyond the Tiger: Portraits of Asian Wildlife”, joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1961, and held several environment-related jobs. As Forests and Tourism Secretary to Madhya Pradesh, he was responsible for the creation of 14 national parks and 11 wildlife sanctuaries. Later, he drafted the key Wild Life (Protection) Act of 1972, and served as India’s first Director of Wildlife Preservation. He is perhaps best known for his work on Project Tiger, but he also played a crucial role in bringing back from the brink of extinction, the endangered central and eastern populations of the barasingha or swamp deer, (the eastern barasingha, cervus d. Ranjitsinhi, is named after him), married Maharajkumarani Kalpnakumari Ranjitsinhji Jhala, born 28^th February 1945, daughter of Shri Laxmansinghji Dilipsinghji Rathore of Sailana, and has issue.
  - Rajkumari Meenal Kumari, married 8^th December 1990, Yuvaraj Amar Jyoti Singh Deo of Dhenkanal.
  - Rajkumari Radhika Kumari [Radhikaraje Gaekwad], married Yuvaraj Samarjitsingh Gaekwad, afterwards Maharaja of Baroda.
HH Maharana Raj Saheb Dr. DIGVIJAYSINHJI, Maharana Raj Saheb of Wankaner [22^nd May 2007 – 4^th April 2021]; (Ranjit Vilas Palace, Wankaner – 363621, Gujarat, India). Eeducated at Rajkumar College, Rajkot and later did his graduation from Claire College at Cambridge University and doctorate from St Stephen’s College from Delhi University. He entered politics after independence of India. He was a Member of Legislative Assembly from Wankaner for the years 1962-67 as an independent candidate and as a member of the Swatantra Party from 1967-71. He then joined the Congress party and became Member of Parliament from Surendranagar for two terms from1979 to 1989. He formed the environment ministry of India under Prime minister Indira Gandhi and became first Environment Minister from 1982-1984. He represened India in the United Nations on more than one occasion, speaking on environmental issues facing the World. He is credited with declaring many national parks in India to conserve wildlife and nature and made major reforms such as coordinating with the Indian Railways to replace the wooden sleepers under railway tracks with cement ones to help save India’s trees. He has written a book on sustainable development called Eco-vote. He was a convener of the Indian Heritage Hotels Association, and later was one of the founding members and elected as the first Chairman of the Gujarat Heritage Hotels Association. He was among the first erstwhile royals of Gujarat to open his property the summer palace known as the Royal Oasis as a heritage hotel. He has served as a director of India Tourism Development Corporation also for many years 1968-1982. He was elected as the President of the Old Boys association of the Rajkumar College, Rajkot. He was also elected to the board of trustees of Rajkumar College. Amongst other things he is a founder member of the Indigenous Horse Society of India founded in 1999, a member of the Gujarat State Water Pollution Control Board in 1976, National Committee for Environmental Planning in 1981. He has been President of the Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha since 1989, which is the oldest organization for the welfare of the community. He has held a rally from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and culminating in gathering of lakhs of supporters at the Red Fort in New Delhi to highlight issues relating to the community. He died on 4^th April 2021.
- Yuvraj Shri Kesri Singhji (qv)
HH Maharana Raj Saheb KESRI SINGHJI, Maharana Raj Saheb of Wankaner (see above).