Magnificent Motorcars MAHARAJAS OF THE
Gautam Sen
Makarand Baokar • Vrutika Doshi
Gautam Sen founded India’s first newsstand automobile magazine Indian Auto in 1986, followed by Auto India in 1993, and the Indian editions of the German magazine Auto Motor und Sport and BBC’s TopGear magazines. Serial concours judge, Sen has been involved in the design-development of India’s first sports car, the San Storm, and other cars and bikes (for Hero Motors, Hindustan Motors, Mahindra, Tata Motors, TVS, and others). A Vice-President at FIVA since 2015, Sen has authored several award-winning books: The Maharajas & Their Magnificent Motor Cars, The Royal Udaipur RR GLK 21, Marcello Gandini: Maestro of Design, The Automobile: An Indian Love Affair, The Bertone Collection (co-authored with Michael Robinson), Ballot (co-authored with Daniel Cabart), Tom Tjaarda: Master of Proportions, Lamborghini: The Cutting Edge of Design (co-authored with Kaare Byberg) and Bugatti: The Italian Decade
Makarand Baokar, based in Mumbai, is a globally acclaimed automotive photographer. He has established collaborations with leading automotive brands in India, including Volkswagen, Renault, Ford, Citroën, Chevrolet, Skoda, Hyundai, and Lamborghini. Additionally, Baokar has partnered with Gautam Sen on numerous book projects, capturing the most extraordinary of automobiles in both Indian and European settings. He is also an active and valued member of the Guild of Motoring Writers.
Vrutika Doshi has more than eight years of dedicated experience in the Indian automotive world, capturing images of cars, motorcycles, and individuals. Doshi’s photography has been part of several prestigious publications, including Auto India, deRivas & Ives, and Italy Magazine. Notably, she has had the privilege of photographing some of India’s most exceptional historic vehicle collections, belonging to prominent figures.
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Magnificent Motorcars MAHARAJAS OF THE
Magnificent Motorcars MAHARAJAS OF THE
Gautam Sen
Makarand Baokar & Vrutika Doshi
First published in India in 2025 by Mapin Publishing
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Text © Author
Photographs © as listed
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ISBN: 978-93-94501-09-6
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Captions
Pages 2–3 Maharana Bhim Singh riding in procession to Eklingji, Udaipur, 1802. Attributed to Bakhta.
Pages 4–5 Stone chariot ratha vehicle Vishnu Vitthal Temple Hampi Vijayanagar World Heritage Deccan plateau Hospet Bellary Karnataka.
Pages 6–7 1910 Brooke Swan Car specially built to order by a Scotsman living in Calcutta, and which was later owned by the Maharaja of Nabha
Pages 8–9 The Maharani of Kapurthala, Stella Mudge, with her wedding gift, a Talbot-Lago T150 with exquisite Figoni et Falaschi coachwork.
Pages 10–11 This 1929 Stutz Model M, now owned by Delhi-based collector Diljeet Titus, was ordered new by the Raja of Baria after he saw one at the London Motor Show.
Pages 12–13 Ceremonial bullock cart is one of several in the late Pranlal Bhogilal’s Auto World Vintage Car Museum.
Contents
Preface
Introduction
Early history of the automobile and how India took to them
The Maharajas and their fascination for the automobile
The Princely States with the finest cars
Bharatpur
Darbhanga
Dungarpur
Gondal
Idar
Indore
Jaipur
Jodhpur
Kapurthala
Rest of the Princely cars
Collectors, the new Maharajas
Pranlal Bhogilal
Boses of Kolkata
Viveck Goenka
Abbas Jasdanwalla
Rajiv Kehr
G D Naidu
Dharmaditya Patnaik
Yohan Poonawalla
Dr Ravi Prakash
Vikram Singh
Gautam Singhania
Tarun Thakral
Rest of the remarkable cars
Comprehensive listing of cars recorded for princely India
Preface
Avery common story in connection with the maharajas of India goes something like this: A certain maharaja (apparently a follower and admirer of Mahatma Gandhi and believed in dressing simply) who was visiting London sometime in the 1920s, decided to pay a visit to one of the London showrooms of Rolls-Royce, a marque whose cars he traditionally patronised.
Unfortunately, from him, the elegantly attired salesperson at the showroom did not take the Indian very seriously and indeed decided to show him the door. Furious at the insult, the maharaja sent his (presumably better-dressed) minister to that same Rolls-Royce showroom to order three cars, and arrange for them to be shipped to India, sans coachwork. On their arrival at Calcutta (the story changes to Patiala, or Bharatpur, or elsewhere, depending on who is recounting it), these three cars were converted into garbage trucks and gifted to the Calcutta Corporation, the city’s municipality.
Therefore, Rolls-Royce had no option but to buy back these three vehicles, have them re-bodied and then sold off (at a hefty discount, no doubt) to other royalty in India. Of course, this maharaja never bought another Rolls-Royce for the rest of his life…
So goes the legend. Likely, it is just a legend, not necessarily true, as no clinching evidence has ever been unearthed. Yet myths, stories and legends abound about the maharajas and their passion for cars, some untrue, many fascinatingly real.
The advent of the automobile, with the very first ones arriving on Indian shores by the 1890s triggered off a crazy love story – that between the rajas, the maharajas, the nawabs and a Nizam, and the horseless carriage.
The coming of the automobile changed completely the lifestyle of Indian royalty, and with it started an enthralling new passion that was to endure for many decades. The choicest of cars with the most unusual of coachworks made their way to India to satisfy the varied tastes and demands of the rajas and the maharajas. Some were ceremonial throne cars, several hunting cars with Stephen Grebel search lamps and gun racks were made, then there were cars for wedding and state processions, even special automobiles for the
“ladies of the house” to travel in secluded “purdah.” Most importantly, each one of the princes had one objective: to outdo the other in terms of pomp, glamour, and splendour.
Not all the cars specially constructed for the Indian princes and the wealthy merchant class were in agreeable tastes. For instance, a Ford Model A, which then was a relatively “middle class” car, was custom-made for a wealthy landowner in Gujarat, in overpowering, silver repoussé decorative work and lace curtains. Then there was (it still survives) this, rather flashy, gold-plated Daimler of Seth Hukumchand of Indore. The strangest of them all though was the famous Swan Car of Calcutta, a 1910 Brooke with the front of the car made to look like a swan that would hiss steam from the nostrils. Ironically enough, it was not the fancy of an Indian eccentric, but that of a wealthy British resident of Calcutta – perhaps the Indian sun had finally affected him!
none have been comprehensive enough to include the cars from yesteryear, as well as the ones that are extant today, with either the descendants of the princely families or the enthusiastic collectors of historic vehicles in India today, the newer set of “maharajas”. This book attempts to put together most of the amazing automotive jewels of India.
Rare Adler Trumpf roadster beautifully restored and used regularly
Introduction
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Left Replica Benz Patent Wagen, which are being made for Mercedes-Benz in Coimbatore
Above The Palace Vintage Car Museum that houses the collection of the Maharana of Mewar, Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar
The Gondal Collection The Gondal Collection The Gondal Collection
Compared to some of the other Indian princely families, the royal family of Gondal has a relatively recent lineage, tracing its origins back approximately four centuries. As part of the Jadeja clan—a prominent branch of the Chandravanshi Rajputs—the family had established dominance by the 15th century over vast territories, including much of the Kathiawar peninsula and the Kutch region, now part of Gujarat state. Among the notable princely states ruled by the clan were Kutch and Nawanagar. Around the early 17th century, a segment of the Nawanagar family branched out to establish the princely state of Rajkot, while another group founded the Gondal principality, which spanned 2,562 square kilometres.
The initial two centuries of the Gondal dynasty remain relatively undocumented. However, significant progress began under the reign of Sagramji II. Although its ruler had yet to attain the rank of raja, Gondal saw notable advancements, including the establishment of modern schools, law courts, and a police force, during Sagramji’s rule. Sagramji II passed away in 1869, leaving his four-yearold son, Bhagvatsinhji, to inherit the throne.
Maharaja Bhagvatsinhji Jadeja emerged as an extraordinary leader, and, by the time of his death in 1944, Bhagvatsinhji had earned the title of Maharaja and also distinguished himself as the only princely ruler to obtain a medical degree.
Maharaja Bhagvatsinhji earned his degree from the University of Edinburgh, qualifying as a medical doctor in 1895, and later became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh—an unparalleled achievement among princely rulers. In 1894, he served as President of the Organising Committee of the 8th International Congress of Hygiene and Demography in Budapest and later became Vice-President of the Indian Medical Association.
Maharaja Bhagvatsinhji’s progressive outlook extended to his family, ensuring that his wife and daughters received formal education. One daughter studied art in Edinburgh. His four sons were also educated abroad—his heir, Bhojrajsinhji, became an engineer; Bhupatsinhji followed in his father’s footsteps as a doctor, and the younger sons served as directors of state railways.
A highly effective administrator, Maharaja Bhagvatsinhji managed to eliminate taxes for his subjects by significantly
Above The main hall of the Navalakha Palace, part of the Darbargadh fort complex, at Gondal. It was constructed in 1748 during the reign of Haloji Sagramji.
Previous pages One of several exceptional cars in the Gondal collection is this Delage D8S, from 1930. With stylish Chapron bodywork, the Delage has remained in the same family since it was purchased in the UK by Maharajkumar Bhupatsingh, one of the sons of Maharaja Bhagvatsingh, who was the “ruler” of Gondal from 1969 (when he was just four years old) to 1944.
increasing land revenues and boosting state income tenfold, making Gondal the princely state with the highest per capita income in India. He championed free and compulsory education, including vocational training for the less academically inclined. By 1918, Gondal stood out as the only state in western India to mandate compulsory education for girls in all villages.
Primarily focused on the welfare of his subjects, the maharaja, however, reluctantly embraced the latest luxury trend among the wealthy. Despite his enduring preference for horse-drawn carriages, he gradually expanded his collection of horseless carriages—the automobile—over the years, acquiring a Minerva, a Humber, a ClémentBayard, a de Dion-Bouton, a Renault, a Wolseley, and a most impressive Lanchester.
However, the first car he purchased around 1907–1908 was an unusual model known as the New Engine Co, or the N.E.C. Rated at 40 horsepower, the New Engine/N.E.C. was considered quite advanced for its time, boasting a superior suspension system even compared to a Rolls-Royce. But most interesting was the layout of the mechanicals: the sixcylindered engine is horizontal, with a forward-mid location, with the floor of the car above the driveline. In the process, passenger placement and layout were like that of a minivan, decades earlier than when such a layout became fashionable. Yet, like many pioneering manufacturers, the New Engine Co/N.E.C. soon faded into obscurity. Remarkably, the car that the maharaja purchased continues to be preserved in the garages of the Gondal palace and remains perhaps the only survivor extant in the world today.
Above Constructed in 1748 during the reign of Haloji Sagramji, with a “sculpted facade” the Navalalakha Palace is a part of the Darbargardh fort complex, at Gondal. It is named “Navalakaha” meaning rupees “nine lakhs” (Rs 900,000) which was the cost of building it at that time.
Below The Gondal Palace has a fabulous collection of art deco sculptures and other kinds if bric-a-brac.
Above The New Engine Co/N.E.C. 40HP car is a very innovative automobile from the very early years of the automobile. Although they made cars only from 1905 until 1914, N.E.C. cars were characterized by the unusual position of the engine—located flat under the floor— at the time.
Below The N.E.C. was impressively spacious as these “one-box” cars were a sort of forerunners of the minivans that became the vogue in the 1980s and later.
In 1930, Maharajkumar Bhupatsinhji, one of the Maharaja’s sons, acquired a stunning Delage D8S from George Newman and Company while returning from his studies in the UK. With only 98 ever produced, the D8S is a rare gem that was brought back to India and added to the Gondal garage.
This elegant sports coupé remains in the family’s possession to this day. When it was registered with the Delage Club in 2000, the family discovered that it was one of just 18 surviving examples worldwide.
When Maharaja Bhagvatsinhji passed away in 1944, his eldest son Bhojrajsinhji ascended the throne. An engineer by training, Maharaja Bhojrajsinhji had a deep fascination
for automobiles, particularly American cars. A year into his reign, following the end of World War II, he decided it was time to expand the palace’s collection of automobiles. Consequently, 15 cars were acquired from the Maharaja of Bhavnagar, including a Mercedes-Benz 290 seven-seater limousine.
Among the remaining 14 vehicles, the most noteworthy was a 1929 Bentley 4½ litres, chassis #NX3452, featuring a Vanden Plas four-seater body. This exceptional car was gifted by the Maharaja to his son, Shivrajsinhji, who later sold it to the Thakoresaheb of the neighbouring princely state of Wadhwan. Eventually, the car was sold again and left India in 1970. Fully restored, it now resides in the UK.
With the introduction of the Lanchester 40 in 1919, the British carmaker designed a car that outperformed the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost despite having a smaller engine of 6.2-liter but featuring an advanced overhead camshaft. However, its high cost, even pricier than the Silver Ghost, limited production to just 392 units over nine years, with only 22 surviving today, according to expert Chris Clark. Apparently,
only six Lanchester 40s were sent to India, with only two surviving. This one, which was originally purchased by Maharaja Bhagvatsinh Jadeja of Gondal in 1921, remained in the Gondal royal family until the mid-1980s. It was later owned by United Spirits and eventually auctioned in 2016, when Mumbai-based collector Amal Tanna acquired the car.
One of several exceptional cars in the Gondal collection is this Delage D8S, from 1930. With stylish Chapron bodywork, the Delage has remained in the family since it was purchased in the UK by Maharajkumar Bhupatsinh, one of the sons of Maharaja Bhagvatsinh who was the ‘ruler’ of Gondal from 1969 to 1944.
Despite being a two-door convertible, the sports Delage D8S is a full four- / five-seater car.
It is only but appropriate that this only French beauty in the Gondal collection should be sporting a Lalique mascot (below)—that of the famous Victoire.
Another rare acquisition at the time was a 1930 Daimler Double Six. Produced between 1926 and 1935, only around 75 of these V12-engined masterpieces were ever built. Highly exclusive and custom-made, this Daimler Double Six was originally commissioned by the Maharaja of Bhavnagar and subsequently acquired by the Gondal family in 1945. Remarkably, this exceptional car remains in the family’s collection to this day.
In 1945, Maharajkumar Shivrajsinhji received a remarkable wedding gift—a 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500 K—from his elder sister, Princess Vijayba, the wife of Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji of Bhavnagar. This luxurious and highly coveted automobile was a symbol of elegance and engineering excellence and is one of two 500 Ks extant in India. Most importantly, this one remains in a beautifully conserved state.
The 500 K, launched in 1934, was a luxurious and powerful supercharged car designed for high-speed, comfortable travel rather than racing. Only 342 units were produced during its three-year production run, making it exceptionally rare. Maharajkumar Shivrajsinhji, an automobile enthusiast, treasured the car, frequently driving it at speeds up to 160 km/h. And until his passing in 201X, it was driven only by him and remains one of the most historic vehicles in India. His son Jyotirmayasinhji Jadeja now looks after the car.
Maharaja Bhojrajsinhji also added several brand-new cars to his collection. In 1947, he acquired a Buick Series 50 Super convertible and a Studebaker Commander Regal Deluxe convertible coupé. Later, he added a Cadillac Series 62 convertible coupé and a rare Frazer Manhattan sedan, both also from 1947.
Maharaja Bhojrajsinhji passed away in 1952. His eldest son Vikramsinhji Bhojrajjisinhji succeeded him as the titular ‘maharaja’ in the same year. Maharaja Vikramsinhji had two sons, along with two daughters, and both sons were passionate about cars. His eldest son, Jyotendrasinhji Vikramsinhji, who was the next ‘Maharaja’ of Gondal, purchased a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster in 1958. He raced the car successfully for several years, and it remained in his ownership until his passing in 2022.
In 1958, Yuvaraj Jyotendrasinhji Vikramsinhji Jadeja of Gondal was considering buying either a Ferrari or a coachbuilt Bentley Continental but was also intrigued by the
The other extraordinary automobile in the Gondal collection is the no-less-rare Daimler Double Six. Barely 75 of these were ever made and only two are today extant in India. The Gondal one is from 1930 and sports a giant of a 7.1-litre V12 engine, making it one of the most powerful cars then, with the maximum power at 150bhp.
With rather upright coachwork, the body style is that of a formal limousine with the coachwork executed by XXXX.
The interior of the Double Six (below) is executed in fabric and brocade and is very luxurious. The car features two occasional jump seats, which fold into the division that separates the chauffeur and attendant from the royal passengers at the rear of the car.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. The 300 SL, considered the most remarkable car of its time, was developed from racing parts and became the world’s first supercar with features like gullwing doors and a tubular space frame. After its success in racing, the 300 SL was made into a roadster, offering high performance with improved accessibility and conventional doors.
The Yuvaraj, not content to keep it as a mere showpiece, raced the car in over 15 races until 1967 when he retired it for occasional use. Despite a re-spray, the car remains largely original. It’s the only 300 SL Roadster of the 1,858 manufactured to reach India, gaining fame at classic car events and winning multiple awards. This car became a symbol of the family’s passion for automobiles and was Jyotendrasinhji first and only true love among the extensive collection that the family has had.
Maharaja Bhojrajsinhji’s younger son, ‘Maharaj’ Ghanadityasinhji Vikramsinhji, was also an accomplished racer, achieving significant success over the years. He is particularly remembered for his campaigns with a Formula 5000 Surtees TS11, which he raced in events across India during the 1970s and early 1980s.
The Surtees TS11, another rare and exclusive car in the Gondal collection, was created by John Surtees, the only person to win World Championships on both two and four wheels.
The Gondal car was driven by Gijs Van Lennep, who won the UK championship with it, making it one of the few surviving TS11 cars (up to seven may have been built, with only four confirmed to exist). The car passed through various owners, including Clive Santo, Chris Oates, and Mike Gue, before being bought by Maharajkumar Ghanadityasinhji (popularly known as Ghanu) in 1977.
Ghanu had great success with the car, winning the All India GP at the Sholavaram circuit in 1978 and 1979, and continuing to race it successfully until 1982. In the years that followed, the Maharajkumar considered selling the car, and his nephew, Yuvaraj Himanshusinhji Jadeja, decided to purchase it, keeping it within the family and adding it to the Gondal collection.
The tradition of acquiring and preserving fine cars within the Gondal family continues through the current generation, led by the current ‘maharaja’ Himanshusinhji Jadeja, the
Above Maharajkumar Shivrajsinhji received this highly-coveted Mercedes-Benz 500 K in 1945 as a wedding gift from his elder sister, Princess Vijayba, the wife of Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji of Bhavnagar. Krishnakumarsinhji had ordered the car new in 1935 and had owned it for the first ten years of its life.
Below Jyotirmayasinhji Jadeja, the son of Maharajkumar Shivrajsinhji Bhojrajsinhji, now looks after this exceptional car.
Facing page An extraordinary (though rarely seen) car at Gondal is the Mercedes-Benz 500 K, from 1935. One of the two extant in India, this one continues to be in an amazingly well-conserved state.
son of the late Jyotendrasinhji. Today, the palace garages house one of the largest collections of single-owner historic vehicles in the world, arguably. The majority of the approximately 50-odd cars in the collection are pristine vehicles with fascinating histories.
In addition to the 1907/1908 New Engine, the palace garages feature an impressive variety of cars, including Buicks, Chevrolets, Camaros, Corvettes, Cadillacs, Jaguars, and Mercedes-Benzes. Among these, there is a rare 1934 Buick convertible sedan, along with a 1960 Electra 225 that
Right The late ‘maharaja’ of Gondal Jyotendrasinhji Vikramsinhji with his wife and son Himanshusinh Jadeja, the current ‘maharaja’. Himanshusinh has inherited the family’s extraordinary passion for automobiles, augmenting and adding very selectively to this spectacular collection. Behind them in this photograph is the amazing Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, perhaps the only one in the world that never changed hands.
Below Another rarity on the Gondal Collection is the Formula 5000 Surtees TS11, constructed in 1972. The car’s first “campaigner” was Gijs Van Lennep, who won the UK championship with it, and is perhaps one of four extant, with a maximum of seven TS11s ever made. The car passed through various owners, including Clive Santo, Chris Oates, and Mike Gue, before being bought by Maharajkumar Ghanadityasinhji (popularly known as Ghanu), the younger brother of Jyotendrasinhji Vikramsinhji, in 1977. Since then, the car won several races in India, at Sholavaram, Barrackpore and elsewhere.
Below right To provide the Surtees TS11 company, Himanshusinh Jadeja bought the Radical in XXX.
Above Himanshusinh Jadeja has a real passion for American pony cars, which explains why the Gondal collection has two first- and second-generation Chevrolet Camaros and a second-generation Chevelle.
Below A Viper and two Corvettes, although only the C3 is seen in this photograph, are also now a part of the Gondal collection.
AUTOMOBILE, CULTURE, HERITAGE
Magnificent Motorcars of the Maharajas
Gautam Sen
Photographsby Makarand Baokar and Vrutika Doshi
400 pages, 500 photographs
10 x 12” (254 x 305 mm), hc
ISBN: 978-93-94501-09-6
₹5000 (TBC)
Fall 2026 • World rights
Magnificent Motorcars MAHARAJAS OF THE
The advent of the automobile, with the very first ones arriving on Indian shores by the 1890s triggered off a crazy love story – that between the rajas, the maharajas, the nawabs and a Nizam, and the horseless carriage. The arrival of the automobile changed the lifestyle of Indian royalty, and with it started an enthralling new passion that was to endure for decades. The choicest of cars with the most unusual of coachworks made their way to India to satisfy the varied tastes of the royalty. Some were ceremonial throne cars, others were hunting cars, then there were cars for wedding and state processions, even special automobiles for the “ladies of the house” to travel in “purdah”. Each one of the princes had one objective: to outdo the other in terms of pomp, glamour and splendour.
Not all the cars specially constructed for the Indian princes and the wealthy merchant class were in agreeable tastes. For instance, a Ford Model A, which was then a relatively “middle class” car, was custom-made for a wealthy landowner in Gujarat, with silver repoussé decorative work and lace curtains. There was also the famous Swan Car of Calcutta, a 1910 Brooke with the front of the car made to look like a swan that would hiss steam from the nostrils.
Although a few books have been written on the automobiles of the maharajas, none have been comprehensive enough to include the cars from yesteryear, as well as the ones that are extant today, with either the descendants of the princely families or the enthusiastic collectors of historic vehicles in India today being considered the newer set of “maharajas”. Packed with extraordinary photography, this book brings together the most fascinating automotive jewels of princely India.
With over 500 Photographs.
