Born on 30th January 1890 at Chhatra Vilas Palace, Nandod (New Rajpipla), Kumar Shri Vijaysinhji was eldest son of Maharana Chhatrasinhji of Rajpipla. Educated at Rajkumar College, Rajkot, and at the Imperial Cadet Corps, Dehra Dun, he succeeded to the gadi of Rajpipla on 26th September 1915.
Maharaja Vijaysinhji introduced many reforms, including free primary education, nominal high school fees, and scholarships. The magnificent Rajpipla State High School stands testimony to the importance he accorded to good education.
He built a large civil hospital, five dispensaries and a veterinary hospital, good public works, and a power house supplying water and electricity to Rajpipla town. The Maharaja initiated the construction of good motorable roads, built a 40 mile (64 kilometres) branch railway line to the Rajpipla Railways, a 19 mile (30.4 kilometres) steam railroad, and a tramway connecting the towns along the river Narmada with villages in the interior.
One of his most progressive steps was the introduction of long-stapled variety of cotton known as ‘1027 A.I.F’. This not only increased the income of farmers considerably, but also the area under cultivation, and led to the adding of nine ginning factories to the earlier two, and three cotton presses. He regularised the land revenue system, introduced pensions for public servants, increased the salaries of the police and military, and set up a criminal-and-civil court.
One of the leading racehorse owner in the world, his horses won the Indian Derby in 1919 (Tipster), Irish Derby in 1926 (Embargo), the Grand Prix in Belgium in 1927 (Embargo), and the Epsom Derby in 1934 (Windsor Lad). He topped the racing events list in the 1932-1933 Indian racing season. A patron of arts, he set up the Rajpipla Chitrashala.
Maharaja Vijaysinhji signed the instrument of accession to the Dominion of India, 15th August 1947, and merged Rajpipla State into the Bombay Presidency, 10th June 1948 (Gujarat since May 1960).
Indra Vikram Singh's space 