How An Indian Maharaja Helped Save The Lives Of Thousands Of Polish People During World War II

India believes in the idea of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (World in one family) that is why many religions coexist and people live in unity and always stand by each other. This is why today the name of many roads and schools in the capital of Warsaw in Poland are named after Maharaja Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji.

It¡¯s amazing how a ruler who lived so far away from Poland earned the respect and honour of the country and is still remembered today. Here¡¯s the story of the Maharaja of Jamnagar in Gujarat, who owed to save some 1,000 Polish children when many countries refused to give them shelter during World War II.

Who is Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja?

Maharaja Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji | YouTube

Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja was the Maharaja Jam Saheb of Nawanagar from 1933 to 1948, succeeding his uncle, the famed cricketer K.S. Ranjitsinhji. He was educated at Rajkumar College, Rajkot, in Saurashtra, then at Malvern College and University College London. Digvijaysinhji joined the British Army in 1919. By 1920, he served with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force and was promoted to lieutenant by 1921. Digvijaysinhji¡¯s military career spanned over two decades and after a promotion to captain in 1929, he retired from the army in 1931.

Maharaja Jam Saheb of Nawanagar

After the passing of his uncle K. S. Ranjitsinhji (or known as Ranji), Digvijaysinhji became Maharaja Jam Saheb in 1933, continuing his uncle's policies of development and public service for which he was Knighted in 1935.

Maharaja Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji | YouTube

Upholding the cricketing tradition of his uncle, he served as President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India in 1937¨C1938 and was a member of several prominent sporting clubs. He had previously played a single first-class match during the 1933¨C34 season, captaining Western India against the MCC during its tour of India and Ceylon (now known as Sri Lanka).

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¡°Little Poland in India¡±

During the years preceding World War II, a huge number of Poles were taken away to work at the Soviet-run labour camps by the Red Army in remote parts of North-Eastern USSR and Siberia. When Germany¡¯s attack on the USSR in 1941 changed the political landscape considerably, and a year later, some Polish refugees were allowed to leave the Soviet Union.

Maharaja Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji | YouTube

Thus began a great exodus of Poles from the cold parts of Siberia to warmer southern regions of Central Asia. The long and arduous journey stretched over hundreds of kilometres. Many Poles lost their loved ones en route owing to the cold, hunger, malnutrition and dehydration.

The journey stretched across many lands and transit points and after being refused by many European and Asian countries for shelter, finally, they reached India and came to the port of Bombay, where the British Governor also refused to let them enter.

Maharaja Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja of Nawanagar, who had heard of the plight of the refugees, sought to help them and pressured the British government to allow the refugees to disembark. Frustrated by the lack of empathy and the unwillingness of the government to act, the Maharaja ordered the ship to dock at Rosi port in his province. Thus began the story of Little Poland in India.

Maharaja Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji | YouTube

After arriving in Gujarat in 1941, the Maharaja arranged for their stay at camps in Balachadi, a village in Jamnagar, where apart from food and shelter, a concerted effort was made to further their education and keep their Polish culture and traditions alive.

Indeed, according to Polish sources, the Maharaja told the children, ¡°You may not have your parents, but I am your father now.¡± The children, in turn, called him ¡°our Bapu¡± (¡°father¡±).

These refugees stayed in Jamnagar for nine years, till World War II lasted. They were well-taken care of by Jam Saheb who personally visited the camps. After World War II and the recognition of Poland's government by Great Britain, the refugees were asked to return to Poland. However, many chose to be repatriated to the UK, the US, Australia and other Commonwealth nations while just a few returned to Poland.

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The Legacy of the Maharaja Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji

The Maharaja took many personal risks to ensure that more than 640 women and children found a safe haven in Balachadi, Gujarat. For his selfless work towards humanity, The Maharaja Jam Saheb was awarded the President¡¯s medal, Poland¡¯s highest honour.

Maharaja Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji | Wikipedia

Poland has shown its gratitude to the Maharaja in various forms. Warsaw has a ¡°Good Maharaja Square¡± named after the Maharaja. Poland also named a school after the Maharaja, which was passionate about children¡¯s education.

A documentary titled "Little Poland in India" was made in collaboration with both Indian and Polish governments to honour the efforts of Maharaja Jam Saheb who led the movement in India to rehabilitate Polish refugees.

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A school in Poland named after Jamsaheb | Quora

The Maharaja¡¯s help is all the more noteworthy considering that while the world was at war, India was fighting its own battle, a non-violent battle for self-determination and independence from British colonialism, even as a severe famine and drought-ravaged India at the time.

The special bond between Poland and Balachadi town, 25km from Jamnagar, will be relieved by half a dozen World War II survivors.

This was an incredible story from modern contemporary history that created a special bond between Poland and Balachadi town.