Former cricketer Ajay Jadeja declared heir to Jamnagar royal throne

Known as a family of cricket legends, Jadeja’s great grand uncle Ranjitsinh and grand uncle Duleepsinh, both former Jamsahebs, have trophies named after them.

In a statement, Shatrushalyasinh, titular head of the former Nawanagar state, said on Saturday, “It is a blessing for Jamnagar that Ajay Jadeja has accepted to be my heir.”

Ajay Jadeja was appointed mentor to the Afghanistan cricket team last year.

Today, on Dussehra, I am equally happy, as I have found a resolution to one of my dilemmas thanks to Ajay Jadeja, who has accepted to be my heir,” Jadeja declared in a statement. (@travelermaan/Instagram)

Comparing his happiness to the Pandavas from the Mahabharat who attained victory on Dussehra after 14 years of remaining underground, Shatrushalyasinh said, “I feel just as happy (as them) as I have been relieved from a quandary and the person responsible for this is Ajay Jadeja.”

Jadeja is the son of Daulatsinhji who was a three-time member of parliament from the Jamnagar Lok Sabha seat.

During his visit to Poland, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated a memorial to Jamsaheb Digvijaysinh in Warsaw, who famously gave refuge to 600 Polish children during World War II, in the erstwhile Nawanagar. Shatrushalyasinh, 85, is son of Digvijaysinh, whose brother Pratapsinh, is Ajay Jadeja’s grandfather.

In the last Lok Sabha elections in May, when the Kshatriya agitation created a tough situation for the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had, on a campaign visit to Jamnagar, met Shatrushalyasinh in an apparent attempt to reach out to the community.

Shatrushalyasinh, divorced early in life, has no children. The family owns palaces, a school, and has a priceless collection of jewellery.

Ajay Jadeja is married to Aditi, daughter of former president of Samata party Jaya Jaitly.