H.H. Maharaja Jam Saheb Ranjit Sinhji of Nawanagar (Jamnagar)
(1872-1933)

H.H. MAHARAJA JAM SAHEB RANJIT SINHJI was born in 1872 often known as RANJI, was the ruler of the Indian princely state of Nawanagar and a noted Test cricketer who played for the English cricket team. He received his early education at The Rajkumar College, Rajkot and later went to Trinity College, Cambridge where he played first-class cricket for Cambridge University, and county cricket for Sussex.

He is widely known as the "FATHER OF INDIAN CRICKET", as he was one of the earliest top-class Indian cricketers to play the sport. Ranji has widely been regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all-time and cricket’s first global celebrity. Neville Cardus described him as "the Midsummer night's dream of cricket". Unorthodox in technique and with fast reactions, he brought a new style to batting and revolutionised the game. Previously, batsmen usually pushed forward; Ranji took advantage of the improving quality of pitches in his era and played more on the back foot, both in defence and attack. He is particularly associated with one shot, the leg glance, which he invented or popularised. The first-class cricket tournament in India, the Ranji Trophy, was named in his honour and inaugurated in 1935 by the H.H. Maharaja Bhupinder Singhji of Patiala. His nephew Duleep Sinhji followed Ranji's path as a batsman playing first-class cricket in England and for the England cricket team. Away from cricket, Ranji became H.H. Maharaja Jam Saheb of Nawanagar in 1907 till his death in 1933. He proved to be an imaginative ruler who played an important role in Indian affairs and later became the Chancellor of the Indian Chamber of Princes. He also represented India twice at the League of Nations.