INDIA'S illustrious son Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad, Lin the pre-Independence India, encouraged, through the medium of education, his able administration, social development, trade, businesses, a benevolent legal system, equality and brotherhood amongst people as also the country's arts-literature-culture. For 64 years, he brought everything that was noteworthy from all over the world to Baroda for the wellbeing of the people. Without a thought to caste, community or religion, he gave generous donations to organisations and aided thousands of students for their education. This is incomparable.
Dadabhai Nauroji, Mahatma Gandhi, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Lokmanya Tilak, Mahatma Phule, Savitribai Phule, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Lala Lajpat Rai, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil, V R Shinde, Madame Cama, Justice Ranade, Dr Bhandarkar have been some of the people who Sayajirao helped in every way. Said C. Rajagopalachari, the first Indian Governor-General of India, "There have been only two truly benevolent kings in India: Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Sayajirao Gaekwad." Dr Ambedkar noted, "The laws made by Sayajirao Gaekwad regarding social development are far more advanced than those in Europe and America." This history has not been shared the way it should have for the past 73 years after independence. Our researchers have either deliberately ignored it or then mentioned it in the passing, thereby perpetuating injustice on this ruler.
Given this background, for the past eight to nine years, I have researched the work of this esteemed king and have managed to bring forth 30 books in the form of research narrative, novel, biography, novel for young readers, biography for young readers, children's stories and more. This has been my attempt to rewrite history, giving the ruler his due. The readers have welcomed my efforts.
The new book, 'Sayajirao Gaekwad, the Patron of India's Freedom Struggle' is one more golden page in the history of Indian struggle for independence that lay buried in the annals of history and was ignored by researchers totally. In the pre-Independence India, there were more than 565 princely states, both big and small. Most of the rules of these states were too engrossed in keeping their thrones and lifestyles intact and accepting a subordinate status vis a vis the British rulers. It was Sayajirao alone who openly supported and helped the national movement and aided the revolutionaries in different ways. Writes G S Sardesai, popularly known as Riyasatkar Sardesai, an eminent historian from Maharashtra who worked long with Sayajirao, "He fought the British Government with utmost courage all his life." However, this history was never brought forth.
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