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{{Short description|Maharaja of Bhavnagar from 1896–1919}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2014}}
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| name = Bhavsinhji II
| title = [[Maharaja]] Raol [[Sir]] [[Shri]] [[Colonel]] Bhavsinhji II Takhtsinhji
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| reign = 1896 until 1919
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''' [[Maharaja]] Raol [[Sir]] [[Shri]] [[Colonel]] Bhavsinhji II Takhtsinhji''', [[Order of the Star of India|KCSI]] (26 April 1875 – 16 July 1919) was a Maharaja from the [[Gohil dynasty]], who ruled the [[Bhavnagar State]] in western India from 1896 until 1919.<ref name=a>The Royal Coronation Number and Who's who in India, Burma and Ceylon by Thomas Peter - 1937 pp:54.</ref>

==Early life==
Born on 26 April 1875, Bhavsinhji II was the eldest son of [[Takhtsinhji|Sir Takhtsinhji]]. He was educated at [[Rajkumar College, Rajkot]] like his father who was the first student in 1870.<ref name=a/> He was attached to the 2nd Bombay Lancers and served in the Bhavnagar State Forces from 1894 until 1896. He was appointed Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel in 1918.<ref name="y" />

==Marriage==
Bhavsinhji was first married to Devkunvarba of [[Deogarh Baria]] and had a daughter from the marriage.<ref name=z/> After her death, he married Nanadkunvarba of [[Khirasara]]. From his second marriage, he had a son [[Krishna Kumarsinhji Bhavsinhji]], born in 1912, who later succeeded him to the throne.<ref name=z/><ref name=x/>

==Accession==
He was installed on the ''gaddi'' (throne) at the Darbargadh Palace in [[Bhavnagar]] on 10 February 1896.<ref name=a/><ref name=y/><ref name=z/><ref name=x/>

==Reign==
[[File:Khalili Collection Enamels of the World Chariot of Maharaja of Bhavnagar CROP.jpg|thumb|Silver [[Landau (carriage)|Landau carriage]] commissioned by Bhavsinhji in 1915, now in the [[Khalili Collection of Enamels of the World]]<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Enamels of the World {{!}} Landau Carriage|url=https://www.khalilicollections.org/collections/enamels-of-the-world/khalili-collection-enamels-of-the-world-landau-carriage-ind1008/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-09-11|website=Khalili Collections|language=en-US}}</ref>]]
He earned a name as a progressive ruler and continued the modernisation and development programmes instituted by his father Sir Takhatsinhji.<ref>{{cite book|title=Shahu Chhatrapati: A Royal Revolutionary|year=1976|publisher=Popular Prakashan|page=373|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zOMdAAAAMAAJ&q=bhavsinhji}}</ref> During the early part of his reign, when the State faced the Great Famine of 1900, he issued a famine code and personally visited the affected parts of his kingdom. As a part of famine relief measures, he waived all uncollected taxes and distributed ''tagari'' allowances as free gifts. He also initiated the construction of five filter beds and a large service reservoir for future droughts.<ref name=x/>

He was one of the first princely states to start self-governance to people and instituted People's Representative Assembly, comprising farmers, tradesmen, municipal representatives and landholders.<ref name=z>{{cite book|title=The Rajputs of Saurashtra By Virbhadra Singhji|year=1994|pages=41–42|isbn=9788171545469|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NYK7ZSpPzkUC&q=Sir+bhavsinhji+Bhavnagar&pg=PA42|last1=Singhji|first1=Virbhadra|publisher=Popular Prakashan }}</ref><ref name=x>{{cite book|title=Indian States: A Biographical, Historical, and Administrative Survey edited by Arnold Wright|year=1922|pages=353–354|isbn=9788120619654|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=47sfj8DUwNgC&q=Sir+bhavsinhji+Bhavnagar&pg=PA353|last1=Bond|first1=J. W.|last2=Wright|first2=Arnold|publisher=Asian Educational Services }}</ref>

Further, he started first Harijan School in 1912 for the upliftment of [[Dalit]] people of his State, and also instituted scholarships for further studies in England, America and Japan, particularly in the fields of medicine and science.<ref name=z/>

As a measure of famine relief works, he founded the [[Bhavnagar Darbar Bank]] in 1902 to dispense loans to farmers, merchants and traders, and began a co-operative movement. This bank founded by him and Prime Minister of Bhavnagar, [[Prabhashankar Pattani]] later grew in to [[State Bank of Saurashtra]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The evolution of the State Bank of India: The era from 1995 to 1980, Volume 4 By Abhik Ray, A. K. Chakraborty, Suman Das, J. S. Mathai|page=930|isbn=9780670999064|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6sknWQvz3MIC&q=Sir+bhavsinhji+Bhavnagar&pg=PA930|last1=Ray|first1=Abhik|year=2009|publisher=Penguin Books India }}</ref>

He was made [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India]] in 1904.<ref name=x/>

An army of Bhavnagar was sent to assist British army in First World War.
Bhavsinhji and his wife raised a private [[Bhavnagar War Hospital]] in 1916 from their personal funds, for treatment of the injured soldiers serving British army in First World War and also instituted a State war medal for the soldiers.<ref>Indian Princely Medals: A Record of the Orders, Decorations, and Medals of ...
By Tony McClenaghan 1996: pp:75.</ref>

==Scholar==
He distinguished scholar of varied interests. He composed four parts of the Sangeet Mala, a treatise on the medicinal properties of Indian plants. He also published the Manual of Indian [[Ayurvedic]] Pharmacy.<ref name=y/> Further, he published translation of [[Homer]]'s [[Iliad]], a musical composition of [[Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay|Macaulay]]'s [[Lays of Ancient Rome|Horatius]].<ref name=y>Life Sketch of H. H. Sir Bhavsinhji II, K.C.S.I., Maharaja of Bhavanagar - Bhavnagar (Princely State) 1911</ref>
He was also member of management committee of Rajkumar College of Rajkot and authored The Forty Years of the Rajkumar College in seven volumes (1911).<ref>Life Sketch of H. H. Sir Bhavsinhji II, K.C.S.I., Maharaja of Bhavanagar by 1911 - Bhavnagar (Princely State).</ref>

The introduction of the Tonic Sol-fa system of notation into Indian music was largely due to his efforts.<ref name=y/>

==Death==
He died on 16 July 1919 and his son, [[Krishna Kumarasingh Bhavasingh]], succeeded him to throne of [[Bhavnagar State]].<ref name=z/><ref name=x/>

==Honors==
*Delhi Darbar Gold Medal - 1903
*Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India - 24 June 1904
*Granted the personal title of [[Maharaja Bahadur]], 1 January 1909 (later made hereditary in recognition of war services from 1 January 1918)
*Delhi Darbar Gold Medal - 1911

==Memorials==

[[Sir Bhavsinhji Polytechnic Institute]] was established in commemoration of Bhavsinhji II by his son and successor Sir Krishnakumarsinhji in 1932, which commenced functioning in 1949.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sirbpti.org.in/history.htm |title=Sir Bhavsinhji Polytechnic Institute - History |access-date=24 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130727235152/http://sirbpti.org.in/history.htm |archive-date=27 July 2013 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

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[[Category:1875 births]]
[[Category:1919 deaths]]
[[Category:Maharajas of Bhavnagar]]
[[Category:Gujarati people]]
[[Category:Founders of Indian schools and colleges]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India]]
[[Category:Indian knights]]
[[Category:English-language Indian writers]]
[[Category:Gujarati-language writers]]
[[Category:British Indian Army personnel]]
[[Category:Indian State Forces officers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian royalty]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian writers]]

Bhavsinhji II - Revision history

Felipa7295 at 15:56, 16 October 2025