It's battle royale for chancellor's post at MS University

VADODARA: The 'royal' property tussle between the estranged Gaekwads may have ended. But the scions of the erstwhile Baroda state are now fighting a new battle - for M S University's chancellorship.
Pratapsinh Gaekwad has shot off a letter to Gujarat governor Om Prakash Kolhi requesting that his father - Sangramsinh Gaekwad - be considered for the illustrious position.The post of MSU's chancellor recently fell vacant after its first female chancellor Mrunalini Devi Puar passed away earlier this month.
The state government was considering names of Puar's nephew and royal scion Samarjitsinh Gaekwad and his mother Shubhangini Raje Gaekwad for the post.
However, the letter written by Pratapsinh, Samarjitsinh's estranged cousin, has given a new twist to the appointment process. The letter comes at a time when the state government was expected to make an announcement regarding the appointment.
"Prince Sangramsinh is the senior most male member of the Gaekwad family and held in high regard in Baroda for being an accomplished industrialist, sportsman and philanthropist. It is befitting that a man with such an accomplished history be given recognition and considered for this illustrious position. Given this background - he would be an ideal choice for this position based on merit and would serve the university well," the two page letter mentions," the letter states.
As per MSU Act, 1949, Gujarat government will have to issue a notification for appointment of a new chancellor. Later, the appointment has to be cleared by Gujarat assembly.
Gujarat's only English medium university - MSU - is also the only university in the state where a member of the royal family has been holding the post of chancellor since its inception. Elsewhere, state governor holds the post of chancellor.
Puar, eldest daughter of Baroda state's last ruler - Maharaja Pratapsinhrao Gaekwad and late Rajmata Shanta Devi - had succeeded her brother - Fatehsinhrao Gaekwad - as MSU chancellor after the latter's demise in 1988.
"After Fatehsinhrao's demise, the then state government had approached Prince Sangramsinh, his brother, for the chancellor's post. But Sangramsinhji had insisted that his brother Ranjitsinh, who was in Baroda, be appointed as university's chancellor. It was on Ranjitsinh's insistence that Puar was appointed as university chancellor," said a Mumbai-based member of royal family.