Bhawanisinhji

Bhawanisinhji (13 September 1899 – 1961) was the Maharana of Danta from 1925 until 1948.

Early life, family and education He was born to Hamirsinhji on 13 September 1899, and was educated at Mayo College, Ajmer. He married firstly, in 1914, Vijay Kanwar, a daughter of Mool Singh, the Rao of Dattigaon, secondly a daughter of Bhagwant Raj Bahadur Singh, the Raja of Sohawal, and thirdly a daughter of Pratap Singh of Auwa. In 1921, when the Bhils of Udaipur and the nearby states broke into revolt, the Bhils of Danta joined them. He instituted three orders in 1935–36, namely the Order of the Rajya Ratna Mandal, the Order of the Rajyalankar Mandal, and the Order of the Gunadarsha Mandal. During the Second World War, he offered his personal services and the entire resources of his state at the disposal of His Majesty's Government. Upon the partition of India, he acceded his state to the Dominion of India by signing the instrument of accession on 14 August 1947. He used to treat his subjects equally, without distinction of religion, caste, or creed, and it was due to his efforts that there were no communal tensions in his state at the time of the partition of India. On 30 January 1948, he abdicated in favour of Prithvirajsinhji, who accordingly succeeded him. When his father, his first two wives, and two brothers died one after another, he began, in his spare moments, to compose hymns to Ambaji, the tutelary goddess of his family. He was again elected to the office on 26 August 1943, for a further three years.

Death He died in 1961.

Honours

Orders and decorations He was created a Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India on 2 January 1939.