Digvijaysinhji Jhala


Digvijaysinhji Pratapsinhji Jhala is a former politician and public figure from Gujarat.

Early life

He was born at Ranjit Vilas Palace at Wankaner on 20 August 1932 and is the eldest son of Captain H.H. Maharana Raj Shri Pratapsinhji Sahib of Wankaner State, by his wife, H.H. Sisodiji Maharani Sri Rama Kanwar Sahiba.
He was educated at Rajkumar College, Rajkot and later did his graduation from Cambridge University and doctorate from St Stephen's College from Delhi University.

Family

He firstly married in 1955 to Maharajkumari Baiji Lal Pratap Kumari Sahiba, eldest daughter of Sir Tej Singhji, Maharaja of Alwar State and secondly in 1982 to Vibha Singh one time fashion model. He has an only son by his second wife named Kesrisinhji born in 1983. Kesarisnhji has now joined Bharatiya Janta Party.

Wankaner State

He became Heir Apparent at birth, with the title of Yuvraj Sahib of Wankaner officially from 1932 to 1948 when the State merged into India. Later all royal titles and privy purse were abolished by India in 1971. He succeeded on the death of his father as Head of the Royal House of Wankaner in 2007 as the titular Maharana of Wankaner.

Political career

He entered politics after independence of India and joined Indian National Congress. He was a Member of Legislative Assembly of Gujarat for Wankaner for the years 1962-67 and 1967-71. Later he became Member of Parliament or Lok Sabha from Surendranagar for years 1980-1989. He also served as the Union Deputy Minister for Ecology and the Environment 1982-1984.

Personal life

Being very active in public life he was also convener Indian Heritage Hotels Association, Gujarat, Chairman of Gujarat Hotels Association, Pres dent of the Wankaner Co-op Agricultural Bank Ltd for 1962-1964.
He is presently a Director of Shree Amarsinhji Mills Ltd since 1960, a cotton textile mill founded in 1951 by his grandfather Sir Amarsinhji Banesinhji, which was later taken over by Kores India in 1980.
He has served as a director of India Tourism Development Corporation also for the years 1968-1982.
He is also a founder member of the Indigenous Horse Society of India founded in 1999. He is also a member of the Gujarat State Water Pollution Control Board since 1976, National Committee for Environmental Planning since 1981 and president of the Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha since 1989.