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Samaldas Gandhi | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Samaldas | |
| Head ofProvisional Government ofJunagadh | |
| In office 25 September 1947 – 9 November 1947 | |
| Preceded by | Office created |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1897 (1897) |
| Died | 1953 (aged 55–56) |
| Spouse | Vijayaben |
| Children | 4 |
Samaldas Gandhi (1897–1953) was a journalist and Indian independence activist who headed theAarzi Hakumat orProvisional Government of the erstwhileprincely state of Junagadh. He was a nephew ofMahatma Gandhi.
Samaldas was born in 1897. He was a son of Laxmidas/Kalidas Karamchand Gandhi and Nandkunwarba. Samaldas was a close follower of his uncle,Mohandas Gandhi.[1]
Gandhi joined Gujarati evening newspaperJanmabhoomi. He served as a deputy editor and later editor of it from 1937 to 1940. Due to differences with Amrutlal Sheth, the founder ofJanmabhoomi, regarding policy regardingprincely states, he leftJanmabhoomi in 1940 and started a new Gujarati dailyVande Mataram. Vande Mataram became popular.[1][2]
He was active in politics and social activities. He was the President of Kathiawar Praja Mandal which brought awareness in Bombay regarding problem of people ofKathiawar. He was also welcome president of the Kathiawar Praja Sammelan held atAzad Maidan in Bombay in June 1947. He opposed Jam Group Scheme regarding integration of princely states of Kathiawar.[1]
When theNawab ofJunagadh Stateacceded his state to Pakistan in 1947, Samaldas Gandhi,U. N. Dhebar and members of Junagadh Praja Mandal met at the office ofVande Mataram on 19 August 1947. He was specially invited to attend Kathiawar Rajakiya Prishad on 25 August 1947. A five-member committee called Junagadh Samiti was formed on 15 September 1947 which included Samaldas Gandhi. Gandhi metV. P. Menon and proposed to form a government-in-exile, theAarzi Hakumat orProvisional Government of Junagadh State. On 25 September 1947, theAarzi Hukumat headed by Samaldas Gandhi was declared in a public meeting at Madhavbagh in Bombay.[1]
The five member ministry ofAarzi Hakumat went toRajkot. Gandhi became the Prime Minister and also held ministry of foreign affairs.Aarzi Hakumat captured 160 villages in forty days, from 30 September to 8 November 1947. Junagadh acceded to the India on 9 November 1947.[1]
After six months, Gandhi was appointed as one of the three civilian members for the administration of Junagadh on 1 June 1948. He was one of the seven members elected unopposed to the Constitution Assembly of Saurashtra in December 1948. All seven members voted to merge Junagadh State with Saurashtra and it was merged in January 1949. Gandhi served as the minister of revenue of Saurashtra State from 25 January 1949 to 18 January 1950. He resigned following personal differences.[1]
Later he and his publicationVande Mataram faced financial difficulties. He died on 8 June 1953.[1]
Samaldas Gandhi is widely remembered in Junagadh andGujarat today as a hero and patriot. There are several schools, public foundations and hospitals named after him.
ThePrincess Street in Mumbai has been renamed as Samaldas Gandhi Marg.
The townhall in Junagadh is dedicated to him.[3]
He married Vijayaben and had two sons, Kishor and Hemant; and two daughters, Pushpa and Manjari. Kishor Gandhi published a children's magazineRamakadu.[1]