Nawanagar State

Nawanagar State

Navanagar was an Indian princely state, in Kathiawar region, situated on the south of the Gulf of Kutch. It was ruled by the Jadeja dynasty from its formation in c 1540 until 1948 when it seceded to newly formed, India. The district is now known as Jamnagar. It had an area of 3,791 square miles (9,820 km2) and a population estimated at 336,779 in 1901. Its rulers, who used the title of "Jam Sahib" were Jadeja Rajput of the same clan as the Rao of Cutch and followed the Hindu religion. They were entitled to a 13-gun salute. The state flag was a rectangular red flag with a white elephant, near and facing the hoist. During the British Raj, the state was part of the Kathiawar Agency, within the Gujarat Division of Bombay Presidency.

The state had a pearl fishery and much of its wealth came from this. Nawanagar is also famous for its former ruler Jam Saheb Ranjitsinhji (died 1933), who was a famous cricket player at Cambridge in England before his accession to the throne.

The last of the Jam Sahib, H.H. Maharaja Jamsahib Satrushalua Digvijay singhji Jadeja b 20 February 1930, succeeded to the throne on the death of his father on 3 February 1966. After the amendment of the Indian Constitution on 28 December 1971 all titles were taken away by the Government of India.