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Shree krantivir sardarsinh rana

  • Birth: 10 th April, 1870. Ramnavami.
  • Birth Place: Kanthariya, Taluko: Chuda, Dist: Surendranagar, Gujarat.
  • Mother: Fuljiba.
  • Father: Ravajibhai.
  • They were three sisters and a brother in a family.
  • Education: Primary: Kanthariya Dhrangadhra Highschool: Alfred high school, Rajkot, Gujarat. College: Elphinstone College, Mumbai. Furgusson College, Pune. Received his degree of B.A. in 1898. Higher Study: Passed the Bar-At- Law examination from London. Received his degree of Barrister in 1900.
  • During his study at London, he worked as a commission agent in real diamond and jewellery business. He also worked as an interpreter in French and German languages at London and Paris.
  • He was a founder member of ‘India House’ at London. Along with Pandit Shyamji Krishnavarma and Madam Cama, revolutionary movement of Independence of India was set in motion from ‘India House’. Credit goes to this trio for the beginning of era of bomb and pistol in India.
  • He was appointed as a Vice President of ‘Home Rule Society’, London.
  • He was pioneer in publication of English News Paper: 'Indian Sociologist' from London, Pandit Shyamji Krishnavarma was the Editor of the paper. Bold articles, exposing atrocities, cruelty and tyrannical rule of British Empire in India, began to be appeared in Indian Sociologist aggressively.
  • He announced 3 scholarships, each of Rs 2000/-, in Indian Sociologist for the Indian students who wished to have further study abroad. Including Veer Savarkar many Indian students received these scholarships. After Independence of India, when first Parliament was constituted by elected MPs from all over country, around 60 MPs were there who had received Ranaji’s scholarships.
  • In 1907, ‘International Socialist Conference’ was organised at Stuttgart, Germany. On 22 nd August Ranaji and Madam Cama designed and hoisted our first tricolour Indian National Flag in conference. Madam Cama delivered aggressive speech on Independence of India.
  • The event of first war of Independence – 1857 was completing its 50 years in 1908. A glorious celebration programme was organised at ‘India House’, London. Ranaji was the president of this historical programme.
  • Mean while, he was exiled from India by British Empire. His entry into India was banned, because of his revolutionary active role in the activities for Independence of India.
  • He settled down his diamond and jewellery business in Paris, France. Here, he became citizen of France.
  • Madan Lal Dhingara shot dead Curzon Wyllie in London. The revolver was provided by Ranaji. As a result, investigation stretched to his residence of Paris.
  • 1 st world war started in 1914. England as a friendly nation with France in war, put pressure on France for the arrest of Ranaji, who was an enemy of British Empire in India. France put him under home detention. He was kept at Martinique island of France, There, he earned his livelihood from agriculture and animal husbandry work. In 1920, the war was ended, he was released from home detention after 6 years. He came back to Paris to restart his diamond and jewellery business.
  • Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviy had been to Paris to collect donation for ‘Banaras Hindu University’. Ranaji helped him to collect donation amount of Rs 28 Lakh from the Indian living in Paris, his individual contribution was highest, Rs 5 Lakh.
  • The Entire arrangement of printing of the book: ‘War of Independence – 1857 written by Veer Savarkar, was done by Ranaji. The book was secretly dispatched to India by him.
  • He sent Senapati Bapat and Indulal Yagnik to Moscow, Russia to learn process of bomb making. He managed to send papers of bomb manual in India as a packaging material for diamond and jewellery.
  • Lala Lajpatrai wrote the book: ‘Unhappy India’ during his long stay of five years at the residence of Ranaji at Paris. Entire arrangement of printing of the book was looked after by Ranaji.
  • ‘Shantiniketan’ was a dream project of Ravindranath Tagore. Being a closed friend, Ranaji arranged meeting of Prof. Sylvain Levy and Romaine Roland with Tagore, as a result the dream emerged as a reality.
  • Veer Savarkar was detained at England and was taken to India for trial in a ship. On his way, he managed his historical jump from ship, and reached the shore of Port Marcel, France. The British authorities re-arrested Savarkar. Ranaji had taken up this matter to International court of Justice at Hague, Netherland, fought the case.
  • He gifted around 1 Lakh books from his Library to 'Sorbonne University', Paris and ‘Shantiniketan’ in India.
  • During II world war, Netaji Subhashchandra Bose escaped from home detention in India and reached Germany. Ranaji arranged broadcasting of historical public address of Subhashbabu on Radio Germany.
  • India became Independent in 1947. Ranaji returned to India after his exile for more than 40 years. Shri Jawaharlal Nahru as a Prime Minister officially invited Ranaji to India as a state guest at Delhi. He met all the leaders including Gandhiji.
  • He arrived at his native land Limbdi after years together. A long awaited re-union with family members, relatives and friends had taken place. After a short stay, he went back to Paris.
  • In 1951, Government of France announced a prestigious civilian award of the country: 'CHEVELIER' to Ranaji.
  • Aging was playing its part, as a result his health was deteriorating day by day at Paris. He returned to India permanently at Limbdi.
  • On the 25 th May, 1957, he breathed his last at Circuit House, Veraval, Gujarat.