Thakorsa Lakhajiraj Jadeja - Rajkot

              Thakorsa Lakhajiraj Jadeja - Rajkot

                                                 

       Lakhajiraj came to the throne after the death of Bavajiraj, the twelfth ruler of Rajkot state.  He became known all over Kathiawar as Praja Vatsal Rajvi.  He was born at Sardar Mukham on Samvat 16 Magshar Sud-10.  At the time of his father's death, he was at his uncle's house in Dharampur.  Coming from there and sitting on the throne, the management was appointed due to his childish age. 

   They had three queens:

(1) Rajendraba, the maiden of Chhatrasinhji Rathod of Semlia, 

(2) Ramanik Kunwarba, the maiden of Surasinhji Gohil, the poet of Lathi, 

(3) Krishnakunwarba of Minapur.  Lakhajiraj studied at Rajkumar College, Rajkot and Military College, Dehradun.  He traveled to England, France, Switzerland, Kashmir, Rameshwar, Mathura, Kashi, Ubayjan, Delhi, Agra, Panchgini, Darjeeling etc. He died on February 120.  During the reign of Lakhaji Raj, Rabindranath Tagore came to Rajkot in 18 AD and Mahatma Gandhi National School in 18 AD to open.  They allowed Gandhiji to fill the first seat of the Kathiawar Political Council in Rajkot in 181 AD.  Later, in the third meeting of Kathiawar Political Council at Bhavnagar, Lakhajiraj was honored on 9-1-16.               Lakhaji Raja made many reforms in his state including digging new wells in the state during the drought and constructing four large lakes and giving money to the farmers.  The people were not allowed to be bothered by the drought.  He gave a good amount of scholarships to the students and built an orphanage for the lame, the lame, the blind and the deaf.  Gauvadh was banned in the state.  In 1917, a new village named Wankavad was established in Kuvadva Mahal.  Special arrangements were made for the education of the farmers, stationery and books were provided free of cost and rural farmer banks were opened for the farmers.  Telephones were placed in the main villages of the state and at home to the chief bureaucrats.  In particular, his contribution is considered to be that by giving the people the right to vote in 1918, he established the People's Representative Assembly, Akhil Dharma Sabha, Labor Federation, Farmers' Federation, Legislative Assembly and made the people participate in the administration.  Oops!  The administration of Rajkot, Sardhar and Kuwadwa was handed over to the municipality.  Lalpari Lake was completed in 19 AD.  State Bank was opened in 1910 and Farmers Bank, Spinning and Weaving Mill and Lakhajiraj Roller Flour Mill were opened in 1918.  In 180 AD, the state started motor service between Rajkot and Atkot.  Dhamendrasinhji opened a vegetable market in 191, started Rajkot Bedi Tram-Way in 1918.  Large power house in 18 AD, a few more post offices in 18 AD and arranged free education in many villages.  He took special interest in the plague and influenza epidemics in 18,7 and gave relief to the people.  He got the title of KCIE in 1917.