Sayajirao's 150th birth anniversary

VADODARA: The celebrations of the 150th birth anniversary of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III could well be a state-wide affair. A committee formed for the celebrations is looking to hold programmes across the territory once under the Baroda state ruled by the Gaekwads.

The territory included Okhamandal and Amreli in Saurashtra, Navsari in south Gujarat, Kadi in north Gujarat and Vadodara with its surrounding areas. The sesquicentennial celebrations planned by the Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III Sardha-Janma-Shatabdi Mahotsava Vadodara Mahanagar Samiti floated by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad Smarak Trust (MSGST) plans to cover the entire area in its celebrations.
The committee includes the scion of the royal Gaekwad family Ranjitsinh Gaekwad as its patron and Vadodara mayor Dr Jyoti Pandya as its president. Prominent citizens of the city have been invited as members of the celebration committee.

Trustee of MSGST Dr Bansidhar Sharma said people should not miss the opportunity of celebrating the occasion and the 150th birth anniversary should be a grand affair. He said the committee had planned several programmes. Sharma said when they travelled to distant rural areas, even people there remembered Sayajirao.

The trustees have already started travelling in the state and have urged local leaders and prominent citizens to start work to celebrate the anniversary. "We have already been to Mehsana, Patan and Siddhpur. The people there are excited about the event and have plans for the celebrations," another trustee Prataprao Bhoite said.

He said for Amreli, he had spoken to senior BJP leader Parshottam Rupala, who had promised support in organising the events there. "Prominent library movement activist Pratap Pandya is coordinating efforts in this direction," Bhoite added. Vadodara MP Balkrishna Shukla and other local leaders have also promised support to the trust.