Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III: The Progressive King Who Funded Education, Backed B R Ambedkar, And Built One Of India’s Richest Royal States

Maharaja

Sayajirao Gaekwad III (1863–1939) was one of India’s most forward-looking princely rulers. During a reign that lasted more than six decades he pushed large social reforms, made primary education compulsory and free in his state, launched major public works, and helped create institutions that still matter today. His rule transformed Baroda (now Vadodara) into one of the richest and most modern princely states in India — an achievement that left a visible legacy in palaces, parks, banks and universities.

A short, simple biography: Who he was and how he rose to power

Born Gopalrao Gaekwad on 11 March 1863, he was adopted into the main Gaekwad line and became ruler as Sayajirao Gaekwad III. He combined royal power with a reforming outlook shaped by an unusual mix of Maratha tradition and modern ideas. He set out to build public institutions rather than merely collect honours — a difference that marked Baroda as exceptional under his rule.

Education first: Compulsory schooling and a university dream

Sayajirao made free, compulsory primary education the law in Baroda in 1906 — the first Indian ruler to do so for his state — and poured money into libraries, schools and scholarships. He also created trusts and set aside funds that would later underpin the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Vadodara, fulfilling a promise to broaden higher education for rural students. These moves built long-lasting civic infrastructure and a culture of learning.

Public works that still serve the city: Parks, water and railways

Among his practical projects were a gravity-fed water supply from Ajwa, the expansion of the Gaekwar’s Baroda State Railway network, and large public spaces such as Kamati Baug (now Sayaji Baug). He commissioned Laxmi Vilas Palace — a lavish Indo-Saracenic complex that became the family seat — and left behind buildings and amenities that continue to shape Vadodara’s urban life.

Banking, industry and modern finances: Founding Bank of Baroda

Under his reign the Bank of Baroda was established in 1908. What began as a regional state initiative later grew into one of India’s major commercial banks — a clear indicator of the state’s commercial confidence and administrative capacity under his leadership.

Social reform: Women, untouchability and personal laws

Sayajirao and his circle enacted measures to ban child marriage, promote girls’ education, curb purdah and reduce social barriers such as untouchability. The Maharani Chimnabai II (his second wife, Gajarabai of Dewas) was herself an activist for women’s rights and wrote on women’s position in Indian life, amplifying the palace’s reforming voice.

Sayajirao and B. R. Ambedkar: Influence and interaction

Baroda played a significant role in the life and work of Dr B. R. Ambedkar. Sayajirao’s policies on social equality and education created an environment where Ambedkar’s ideas could take root; the two figures met and Ambedkar’s public career was shaped in part by the progressive currents in Baroda. Scholars and regional historians point to the Maharaja’s influence on Ambedkar’s thinking about social justice and institutional reform.

Family and descendants: Wives, children and the line of succession

Sayajirao married twice. His first wife, Lakshmibai (known as Chimnabai I of Tanjore), bore him three children but died young. In 1885 he married Gajarabai (Chimnabai II), who became a public figure in her own right and supported social reforms. His son from the first marriage, Fatehsinhrao (Yuvraj), predeceased him, but the line continued and eventually produced later rulers and titular maharajas, including Pratap Singh Rao Gaekwad (who succeeded in 1939). The Gaekwad family tree is long and branched; over generations it has included Fatehsinghrao Gaekwad, Ranjitsinh Gaekwad, Sangramsinh Gaekwad, Pratapsinhrao Gaekwad and others who have all played public roles.

Today’s custodians: Who holds the Gaekwad legacy now

The royal family remains active in Vadodara’s civic life and in managing a large heritage estate. The current titular head is Samarjitsinh Gaekwad (crowned in 2012). After a long inheritance dispute, Samarjitsinh obtained ownership of Laxmi Vilas Palace and a large portion of the family’s movable and immovable assets in a 2013 settlement; other branches of the family (notably his uncle Sangramsinh and cousin Pratapsinhrao) received palaces, land and commercial holdings as part of the division. Samarjitsinh and his wife Radhikaraje live at Laxmi Vilas Palace and have two daughters, Padmajaraje and Narayaniraje.

Major royal assets and heritage properties (what the state built, what the family owns)

• Laxmi Vilas Palace – The family’s vast private residence and a focal point of the Gaekwad legacy (now partly used for events and cultural activities).
• Nazarbaug, Indumati and Makarpura Palaces – Other historic Gaekwad properties that were part of the inheritance settlement and are managed by different family members.
• Kirti Mandir and Sayaji (Kamati) Baug – Public landmarks commissioned by Sayajirao that continue to be conserved and used by the city. Recent family-led restoration plans have aimed to open and preserve these sites for the public.

The 2013 settlement: How the family split a modern fortune

After two decades of litigation, a widely reported 2013 settlement divided several palaces, large tracts of land, companies and movable assets among Samarjitsinh, Sangramsinh and other relatives. The arrangement ended a high-profile dispute and defined who manages what — for instance, Samarjitsinh took stewardship of the primary palace complex and a bulk of the historical collection, while Sangramsinh and cousins received other palaces, companies and land. The settlement helped stabilise ownership and let heritage conservation and commercial projects move forward.

Legacy: Why historians still study Sayajirao today

Sayajirao’s place in modern Indian history rests on three pillars: administrative modernisation (roads, water, rail), social reform (education, women’s rights, anti-untouchability measures) and institution-building (a bank, libraries, trusts and a university). His governance model — using royal resources to fund public goods — made Baroda both wealthy and socially advanced compared with many contemporary princely states. The institutions he founded still shape lives in Gujarat.