Radhikaraje Gaekwad is one of the most famous personalities in India from a royal family. The Maharani of Baroda is the 'most beautiful maharani' of this era, and people often compare her with the Maharani of Jaipur, Gayatri Devi. What's even more interesting is that Radhikaraje is also quite active on social media. Renowned by the nickname of 'Modern Maharani,' she has 181K followers on her Instagram handle. One look at her Instagram handle and see that she is nothing less than a social media influencer.
In the bio of her Instagram handle, Radhikaraje Gaekwad shares the link to a video created by National Geographic India about her luxurious residence, Laxmi Niwas Palace in Baroda. From quirky captions to posting stunning pictures from her royal family functions and exotic trips to foreign lands, Radhikaraje never shies away from putting her personal life in public.
On the one hand, while Radhikaraje Gaekwad is a social media birdie, on the other hand, Radhikaraje works for the welfare of society on quite a serious note. Well, today, we are going to uncover a series of interesting facts about Radhikaraje Gaekwad's personal and professional lives. So, without further ado, let's get started!
For the uninitiated, Radhikaraje Gaekwad is the daughter of Dr MK Ranjitsinh Jhala, who dedicated his entire life to protecting wildlife. He was born into the royal family of Wankaner in Saurashtra. Despite belonging to such a prestigious royal family, Ranjitsinh Jhala left his royal status to become an IAS officer. The reason why Ranjitsinh Jhala became an IAS officer was to work in preserving the wildlife in India.
Dr MK Ranjitsinh Jhala served as India's Deputy Secretary for Forests and Wildlife and is the one, who wrote India's Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972. Courtesy of his tremendous work for the preservation of Indian wildlife and bringing cheetahs to India from Africa, Ranjitsinh got the title of 'India's Cheetah Man.' In many of her interviews, Radhikaraje Gaekwad had admitted that his father, Ranjitsinh has always encouraged her to study and follow her dreams or goals to do something good for society.
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Once, during an old interview with Humans of Bombay, Radhikaraje Gaekwad recalled the time when his father, Dr MK Ranjitsinh Jhala was posted in Bhopal. The doting daughter revealed that she was in Bhopal with her father when the Bhopal gas tragedy took place on December 2, 1984. Talking about the unfortunate disaster, Radhikaraje revealed the lesson she learnt from the mishappening. She said:
"In 1984, when the Bhopal gas tragedy struck, he was posted as a commissioner there. That night, I learnt my first lesson, 'You can't expect things to fall into place without lifting a finger.' A lesson that Baba stressed upon throughout my growing up years."
Despite being born into a royal family, Radhikaraje Gaekwad was interested in education, right from an early age. Just like her father, Dr MK Ranjitsinh Jhala, she also has a strong educational background. For the uninitiated, Radhikaraje studied at Delhi University's Lady Shri Ram College For Women. She pursued a Master's degree in Indian History from LSR. While pursuing her Master's, Radhikaraje also worked as a writer at The Indian Express. Talking about the same in an old interview with Humans of Bombay, she said:
"We led a very ordinary life, so when I visited Wankaner during summer holidays, I'd be amused by the attention people gave me. At 20, I got a job at Indian Express as a writer. Side by side, I also pursued my Master's degree. I was the first woman in the family to work; most of my cousins were married by 21."
Further, in the same interview, Radhikaraje Gaekwad also talked about the popular misconception people have about her life. Bursting all the traditional assumptions regarding her lifestyle, Radhikaraje stated that she used to travel in DTC buses during her college days. Talking about her 'simple life,' Radhikaraje said:
"Sometimes, people just assume that being a queen is wearing a tiara, but the reality is far from sparkling. I've broken traditional stereotypes, set my own boundaries, and most importantly, I've done only what was not expected of me. And that's the heirloom I'm passing down to my daughters-to choose the life that they want to live and have no regrets at all."
For the uninitiated, Radhikaraje Gaekwad is leading a happy married life with former cricketer, Samarjitsingh Ranjitsinh Gaekwad, who is the Maharaja of Baroda. The couple got married on February 27, 2002, and they are blessed with two daughters. In an interview with Humans of Bombay, Radhikaraje revealed that she was impressed with Samarjitsingh's gesture to let her pay when they were out on a date. She also added that he always encouraged her to study and follow her aspirations. She said:
"I had met a few men before meeting Samarjit, the Prince of Baroda - he was different from the rest. When we went out for the first time, he was pretty cool about me offering to pay. And when I told him that I wanted to study further, he encouraged me."
After her marriage to Samarjitsingh Ranjitsinh Gaekwad, Radhikaraje Gaekwad became the Maharani of Baroda and started living with her husband at the 23-year-old residence, Laxmi Vilas Palace. For the uninitiated, Laxmi Vilas Palace is India's largest residence, covering an area of 3,04,92,000 square feet. It is four times bigger than the iconic Buckingham Palace, which covers only 828,821 square feet.
Not only this, Radhikaraje Gaekwad's residence, Laxmi Vilas Palace, is also bigger than Mukesh Ambani's Antilia, which is worth Rs. 18,000 crore. While the Ambanis' Antilia is India's most expensive residence, Gaekwads' Laxmi Vilas Palace is the largest residence in India. Talking about Antilia's area, the property is spread across 48,780 square feet. From living in India's largest private residence to making a mark in society with her philanthropy work, Radhikaraje is indeed the most loved royal in the country. We hope she continues to change the lives of so many underprivileged people.
What are your thoughts on Maharani of Baroda, Radhikaraje Gaekwad's early life, educational qualifications, and her extra-luxurious residence, Laxmi Vilas Palace? Let us know.
Also Read: Why Shashi Kapoor's Sons And Daughter Were Rejected By Bollywood, Here's What They're Doing Now?
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