The Rajkumar College (or RKC) in

Rajkot Rajkot () is the fourth-largest city in the Indian state of Gujarat after Ahmedabad, Vadodara, and Surat, and is in the centre of the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. Rajkot is the 35th-largest metropolitan area in India, with a population ...

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

is one of the oldest K-12 institutions in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

. RKC has a 26-acre (105,000 m²) campus in Rajkot.

History

The foundation stone of Rajkumar College was laid in 1868. The institution was designed by Colonel Keatinge and was formally opened by the Governor of Bombay, H. B. Sir Seymour Fitzgerald, in 1870. The college was founded for the education of the princely order by the princes and chiefs of

Kathiawad Kathiawar () is a peninsula, near the far north of India's west coast, of about bordering the Arabian Sea. It is bounded by the Gulf of Kutch in the northwest and by the Gulf of Khambhat (Gulf of Cambay) in the east. In the northeast, it is ...

for their sons and relations. In 1938, on the initiative of its founding members, the college became a public school (private school in American terms). The college is a founding member of the Indian Public Schools Conference and a member of the Round Square conference of schools, a worldwide association of more than 60 schools that allows students to travel between schools and tour the country or do community service. In 2001 the college opened its doors to girls, in what has been a boys' bastion for over a century. The school has around 50 girls, with boarding facilities. Another endeavor of the Rajkumar College Administration has been Priyalok Villas, a pre-school program for the kids; originally housed in a 1909 Hyde sanatorium but now housed in a different building. Whilst having its own domain, it has access to all the facilities of the Rajkumar College. The school is expanding. The Rajkumar College for Girls, a secondary school was inaugurated on 24 March 2011; before this, the fully functional elementary co-ed school had flourished for a decade. Rajkoomar Indian College, Kattywar

Inauguration of the Rajkumar College for Girls, Rajkot

The Rajkumar College for Girls was inaugurated on 24 March 2011, by Kamla Beniwal, governor of Gujarat. The principal, Mr. Thakkar, said that it was a special day for the Rajkumar family. Almost 140 years ago on 16 December 1870 the college was inaugurated by the governor of the Bombay Presidency, Sir Seymour Fitzgerald.

Student life

Sport teams from the college travel around the country to participate in inter public school competitions and district/state/national level events. Co-curricular activities include public speaking/recitation/debates, bio-enrichment camps, and other cultural activities. The college motto is ''Yasya Bhuddhi, Balam Tasya'' ("Power is where there is knowledge").

Notable alumni and faculty

Alumni

* Lael Anson Best, Chief of Thoracic Surgery and Chief of Surgery 2005–2012 at Rambam Medical Center, Israel Awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2017 * Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur: ruler of the erstwhile Kolhapur State *

Yashwantrao Martandrao Mukne Yashwantraoji Martandraoji Mukne (also known as Patangshahji Mukne) (V) (Dada Saheb) (11 December 1917 – 4 June 1978) was an Indian Koli Maharaja of Jawhar State, a flight lieutenant in the Royal Indian Air Force, politician, social w ...

, Maharaja of Jawhar State, the first

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

from

Thane (Lok Sabha constituency) Thane Lok Sabha constituency (formerly, Thana Lok Sabha constituency) is one of the 48 Lok Sabha (parliamentary) constituencies of Maharashtra state in western India. Assembly segments At present, after the implementation of the Presidentia ...

* Nawab Ahmad Khan Sidi Ibrahim Khan of

Janjira State Janjira State was a princely state in India during the British Raj. Its rulers were a Siddi dynasty of Habesha descent and the state was under the suzerainty of the Bombay Presidency. Janjira State was located on the Konkan coast in the p ...

* Krishnakumarsingh Bhavasingh, Maharaja of

Bhavnagar State Bhavnagar State was a princely state with 13 Gun Salutes during the British Raj. It was part of Kathiawar Agency in Saurashtra. The State of Bhavnagar covered an area of 2,961 sq. miles and had a population of 618,429 in 1941. Its ruler ...

, the first Governor of Madras state *

Nawab Nawab ( Balochi: نواب; ar, نواب; bn, নবাব/নওয়াব; hi, नवाब; Punjabi : ਨਵਾਬ; Persian, Punjabi , Sindhi, Urdu: ), also spelled Nawaab, Navaab, Navab, Nowab, Nabob, Nawaabshah, Nawabshah or Nobab, ...

Muhammad Mahabat Khan III, the last

of Junagadh State *

Ghulam Moinuddin Khanji Ghulam Moinuddin Khanji (22 December 1911 – 13 February 2003) was the ruler of Manavadar State, one of the princely states associated with British India. Although Khanji chose to accede to Pakistan after the partition of India, the state was ...

Babi of

Manavadar State Bantva-Manavadar or Manavadar State was a princely state during the era of the British Raj in India. It was located on the Kathiawar peninsula in Gujarat. See also * Political integration of India *Bantva Memons *Bantva Bantva or Bantw ...

Sahibzada Sahib or Saheb (; ) is an Arabic title meaning 'companion'. It was historically used for the first caliph Abu Bakr in the Quran. The title is still applied to the caliph by Sunni Muslims. As a loanword, ''Sahib'' has passed into several langua ...

Omeir Ahmed Khanji Babi of Devgam Junagadh State * Raol Shri Dharmakumarsinhji, prince, ornithologist and environmentalist *

Madansinhji Maharajadhiraj Mirza Maharao Sri Madansinhji Vijayaraji Sawai Bahadur (12 October 1909 – 21 June 1991) was the last official ruler of the Princely State of Cutch, from 26 February 1948 to 1 June 1948.Kutch * Natwarsinhji Bhavsinhji of Porbandar, Maharaja of

Porbandar Porbandar is a city in the Indian state of Gujarat, perhaps best known for being the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi and Sudama. It is the administrative center of the Porbandar District and it was the former capital of the Porbandar princel ...

* K.S. Digvijaysinhji, Maharaja

Jam Sahib Jam Sahib ( gu, જામ સાહેબ), is the title of the ruling prince of Nawanagar, now known as Jamnagar in Gujarat, an Indian princely state. Jam Sahibs of Nawanagar References External links Nawanagar History and Genealogyat '' ...

of Nawanagar *

Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji (13 June 1905 – 5 December 1959) was a cricketer who played for England. Playing in the era before the Indian cricket team, he is considered one of India's first great batsmen, alongside his uncle Ranjitsinhji, who al ...

, cricketer *

Bhagvatsingh of Gondal Bhagvatsinhji (24 October 1865 – 9 March 1944) was the ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Gondal from 1869 till his death in 1944, upon which he was honoured with 11-gun salute. He was the only Maharaja to take a medical degree and oth ...

, Maharaja, physician and architect *

Kumar Indrajitsinhji Kumar Shri Indrajitsinhji Madhavsinhji () (15 June 1937 – 12 March 2011) was an Indian cricketer who played in four Tests from 1964 to 1969 as a wicketkeeper-batsman. Early life Indrajitsinhji was born in Jamnagar, Gujarat. He was educated ...

, test cricketer * Rajendrasinhji Jadeja, commander-in-chief of the Indian armed forces * Kavi Kalapi, poet * Ruswa Majhalumi, poet * Manoharsinhji Pradyumansinhji, 15th Thakore Saheb of Rajkot, cricketer and politician * Ashok Kamte, Mumbai Police, additional commissioner for the East Region, martyr of 26.11.2008 Mumbai attacks * Ranjitsinhji, test cricketer and later Maharaja Jam Sahib of Nawanagar * Takhtsinhji, Maharaja of

Bhavnagar Bhavnagar is a city in the Bhavnagar district of the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, a state of India. It was founded in 1723 by Bhavsinhji Takhtasinhji Gohil (1703–1764). It was the capital of Bhavnagar State, which was a princely state ...

* Sujan R. Chinoy, diplomat and China expert; Ambassador of India to Japan * Maharaja Bhavsinhji II of

Forty Years (1870–1910) of the Rajkumar College by Chester Macnaghten. First principal of the college and other sources. Compiled by Sir H.H. Bhavsinhji, Maharaja of Bhavnagar. * Himmatsinhji Vijayaraji, noted ornithologist and a prince of

Kutch State Kutch State was a state within India from 1947 to 1956. Its capital was Bhuj. The state's territory now forms a Kachchh district within the Indian state of Gujarat. History Kutch State was formed out of the territory of the former prince ...

Bhavsinhji Madhavsinhji Maharaja Rana Shri Bhavsinhji Madhavsinhji Sahib Bahadur (26 December 1867 – 10 December 1908) was the Maharaja of Porbandar belonging to Jethwa dynasty, who ascended the throne of princely state of Porbandar on 15 September 1900 and ruled ...

, the Maharana of Porbandar. *

Amarsinhji Banesinhji Captain H.H. Maharana Raj Shri Sir Amarsinhji Banesinhji Sahib (4 January 1879 – 25 June 1954) was the last Maharana Raj Sahib of Wankaner belonging to Jhala dynasty, who ascended the throne of princely state of Wankaner on 12 June 1881 and ...

, the Maharana Raj Sahib of Wankaner * Thakor Saheb Chaitanyadev of Wadhwan – past President of the College Council *

Meghrajji III of Dhrangadhra-Halvad Maharaja Sir Mayurdwajsinhji Meghrajji III, KCIE, FRAS, FRAI, FRHistS (3 March 1923 – 1 August 2010) was the last ruling Maharaja of Dhrangadhra-Halvad. He was an academic, politician, member of several distinguished academic bodies, and ...

– past President of the College Council *

Lavkumar Khachar Lavkumar Jiva Khachar or K.S. Lavkumar (24 February 1930 – 2 March 2015) was an ornithologist, nature and wildlife conservationist from India. Biography Khachar was born on 24 February 1930 in the royal family of the former princely state of J ...

, ornithologist

Faculty

* Herbert Barritt, principal of the school in the 1940s

Council presidents

* Darbar Saheb Shri Mahipal Vala of Jetpur * Thakor Saheb Chaitanyadev of Wadhwan – past *

– past

References

External links

https://www.edustoke.com/rajkot/rajkumar-college-sadar-residential
Founding member of the Indian Public School Conference

Forty Years (1870–1910) of the Rajkumar College. Rajkot abridged from the papers of the late Chester Macnaghten first principal of the college and other sources. Compiled by Sir H.H. Bhavsinhji, Maharaja of Bhavnagar.
{{Member Schools of Round Square Education in Rajkot Private schools in Gujarat Boarding schools in Gujarat Schools in Colonial India Boys' schools in India Girls' schools in Gujarat Educational institutions established in 1868 1868 establishments in British India Education in the princely states of India Round Square schools