Background
The oldest son of Bavajirajsinhji Mehramanji, the 11th Thakore Saheb of Rajkot, Lakhajirajsinhji acceded to the title at the age of four, after his father"s death.
The oldest son of Bavajirajsinhji Mehramanji, the 11th Thakore Saheb of Rajkot, Lakhajirajsinhji acceded to the title at the age of four, after his father"s death.
He visited England several times, and during a 1908 visit played a game for the Gentlemen of England against Oxford University, which was accorded first-class status. In an attempt to anglicise his name, the Wisden Cricketers" Almanack mistakenly recorded him as "Prince Chakorsab". The latter match was his most successful, and included the first three wickets of his opponents" first innings, on the way to career-best figures of 3/77.
Similar to his father, Lakhajirajsinhji was considered a progressive ruler, which was encouraged by the British administration of the time.
Having reigned under British guardianship until October 1907, when he was considered able to rule independently, he was in attendance at the Delhi Durbar in 1911, which marked the coronation of George V, Emperor of India, and was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire in June 1918. Encouraging the development of public debate and intellectualism within Rajkot, Lakhajirasinhji established a State Council and State Bank in 1910, as well as a Peoples" Assembly in 1923.
17 December 1885 – 16 April 1890: Kumar Lakhajirajsinhji, Yuvraj Saheb of Rajkot.