Prince of Gujarat

The Extraordinary Story of Prince Gopaldas Desai

01 December, 2014

Rajmohan Gandhi

Aleph Book Company

292 pages, Rs. 500

Born in 1887 into a clan of princely Patels, Gopaldas was a beloved ruler of a tiny state in western India, and an active and courageous participant in the struggle for India’s freedom, and the fight for social justice. Championing Dalit rights long before doing so became generally acceptable, he also stood out for his concern for the region’s Muslim minority, and his defence of women’s rights. After joining the freedom movement in 1920, he gave up his princely life, shuttling between prisons, ashrams and the homes of well-wishers. Rajmohan Gandhi uses letters, rare documents, personal accounts and historical narratives to recreate the life of this unconventional prince in vivid detail.