Balasinor (Princely State)

DynastyBabi
StateBombay
Gun Salutes9
AgencyRewa Kantha Agency (1930)
Accession10th June 1948
Revenue₹ 2,66,983 (1930)
Villages104
Area490 km2
Population44,030 (1921)
Privy Purse₹ 68,000
ReligionMuslim
Hindi Nameबिलासपुर
Also known asVadasinor
Last Updated21st Jul, 2024

Present Head/Ruler

HH Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad SALAUDDINKHANJI SALABATKHANJI Babi Bahadur, 10th Nawab Saheb of Balasinor since 2018, educated at Rajkumar College, Rajkot; married Begum Zeba Sultan Khan and has issue, one son.

  • Nawabzada Shree Muhammad Daniyal Khan Babi, born 2021.

Short History

The Balasinor family claims its descent from a distinguished officer in the Imperial service, Usman Khan, the fifth in descent from whom, Salabat Khan, received the Jagir and Faujdari of Balasinor and Virpur. The fourth in descent from Salabat Khan, viz. Bahadur Khan I, obtained possession of the Principality of Junagadh. His eldest son did not succeed to this far more valuable possession (which fell into the hands of his younger brother), but remained at Balasinor.

In 1867, the Ruler of Balasinor was granted a permanent salute of 9 guns. The late Nawab Munawarkhanji was, in 1890, granted a sanad guaranteeing succession according to Muhammadan law in the event of failure of direct heir.

The military force of the State consists of 98 infantry, 19 cavalry, and 10 pieces of artillery,

Predecessors

  • Shree Nawab Saheb Salabat Muhammad Khan Babi Bahadur, married and had issue. He died in 1730 at Ahmedabad.
    • Shree Sorath Sarkar Diwan Nawab Saheb Muhammad Bahadurkhanji [Sherkhanji Salabatkhanji] Babi Bahadur, Nawab of Junagadh, married and had issue.
      • Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad Sardar Muhammadkhanji Babi Bahadur, 1st Nawab of Balasinor (see below)
      • Shree Sorath Sarkar Diwan Nawab Saheb Mahabatkhanji I Bahadurkhanji Babi Bahadur, Nawab of Junagadh
    • Khan Saheb Shree Dilerkhanji Salabatkhan, 1st Ruler of Manavadar
    • Khan Shri Sherzamankhanji Salabatkhanji, 1st Taluqdar of Bantva
  • Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad SARDAR MUHAMMADKHANJI Babi Bahadur, 1st Nawab of Balasinor 1761/-; married and had issue.
    • Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad Jamiatkhanji I Sardarkhanji Babi Bahadur(qv)
    • Nawabzadi (name unknown), married Naverkhanji of Cambay, and had issue.
      • Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad Abidkhanji Naverkhanji Babi Bahadur (qv)
      • Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad Edulkhanji Naverkhanji Babi Bahadur [aka Jalalkhanji] (qv)
  • Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad JAMIATKHANJI I SARDARKHANJI Babi Bahadur, 2nd Nawab of Balasinor; married and had issue.
    • Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad Salabatkhanji I Jamiatkhanji Babi Bahadur (qv)
  • Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad SALABATKHANJI I JAMIATKHANJI Babi Bahadur, 3rd Nawab of Balasinor -/1820. It was during his reign that Balasinor acknowledged the supremacy of British power. He entered into an alliance with the paramount power, ensuring full protection for himself and his descendants. He died in May 1820 without leaving an heir to the gadi. The Nawab of Junagadh, a distant relation of the family, then urged his own claim to the throne of Balasinor. However, the British Government rejected his suit, and Abidkhanji, a cousin of the late Nawab, was chosen as the next successor to the gadi.
  • Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad ABIDKHANJI NAVERKHANJI Babi Bahadur, 4th Nawab of Balasinor 1820/1822. He turned out to be a weak and inept ruler. The prohibition against the cultivation of poppy, in accordance with the British Opium Act, was first enforced in Balasinor during his reign. During his ineffective rule, the general maladministration escalated to such a degree that the resulting anarchy had to be remedied by deposing the Nawab. He abdicated the throne, and his brother, Edulkhanji, was next installed on the gadi.
    • Bibi Sardar Bakhte, married Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad Zorawarkhanji Edulkhanji Babi Bahadur (see below)
  • Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad EDULKHANJI NAVERKHANJIBabi Bahadur, 5th Nawab of Balasinor 1822/1831, married and had issue. He died in December 1831.
    • Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad Zorawarkhanji Edulkhanji Babi Bahadur (qv)
    • Nawabzada Badarkhanji Edulkhanji [aka Bahadurkhanji] Babi, married and had issue.
      • Khan Shri Mahabatkhanji Badarkhanji Babi, born 4th January 1856, married and had issue.
        • Suba Shree Muhammadkhanji Mahabatkhanji Babi, married and had issue.
          • Husain Mahabatkhanji Babi
          • Bahadurkhanji Babi
          • Sultankhanji Babi
        • Suba Shree Abdulkhanji Mahabatkhanji Babi
        • Suba Shree Sher Husain Yawarkhanji Mahabatkhanji Babi
    • Nawabzadi (name unknown), married Shree Sorath Sarkar Diwan Nawab Saheb Hamidkhanji II Babi Bahadur, Nawab Saheb of Junagadh.
  • Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad ZORAWARKHANJI EDULKHANJI Babi Bahadur, 6th Nawab of Balasinor 1831/1882, born 1826, his name is held in respectful memory by his subjects for his remarkable kindness and generosity, married 1stly, Bibi Sardar Bakhte, daughter of his paternal uncle, Abidkhanji, married 2ndly, Chand Bibi, daughter of Ghanchi in Balasinor, married 3rdly, Gajinbaksh from Baroda, and had issue. He established criminal and civil courts, schools, and appointed an Assistant Vaccinator to vaccinate the children of both Hindus and Muslims. He died in November 1882.
    • Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad Munawarkhanji Zorawarkhanji Babi Bahadur (qv)
    • Nawabzadi Dosi Bakhte, born 1847, married HH Shree Sorath Sarkar Diwan Nawab Saheb Sir Bahadurkhanji III Mahabatkhanji, G.C.I.E., of Junagadh.
    • Nawabzada Budhu Mia Zorawarkhanji, born 1870.
  • Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad MUNAWARKHANJI ZORAWARKHANJI Babi Bahadur, 7th Nawab of Balasinor 1882/1899, born 1846 (1847), succeeded November 1882. His natural desire to rule his subjects justly and kindly impelled him to inaugurate a number of measures aimed at improving their material prosperity. During his reign, the long-standing dispute regarding some villages and lands between Balasinor and Lunawada was brought to an amicable termination. In 1890, a Sanad was conferred upon him, guaranteeing him succession in his family according to Muhammadan Law of inheritance. He married and had issue. He died 24th March 1899.
    • HH Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad Jamiatkhanji II Munawarkhanji Babi Bahadur (qv)
    • Nawabzadi Hamir Bakhte, married Suba Shree Jorawar Khan Murtazakhan Babi, a son of Nawab Sahib of Radhanpur.
    • Nawabzadi Husain Bakhte, married Khan Saheb Shree Sherkhanji Sherbulandkhanji Babi, Darbar Saheb of Bantva.
  • HH Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad JAMIATKHANJI II MUNAWARKHANJI Babi Bahadur,, 8th Nawab of Balasinor 1899/1945, born 10th November 1894, educated at Rajkumar College, Rajkot and with the Imperial Cadet Corps, Dehra Dun; he was installed and invested with full ruling powers on 31st December 1915; he was excessively devoted to dramas, towards which he spent a major portion of his time; he married and had issue. He died 2nd February 1945 in Baroda.
    • HH Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad Salabatkhanji II Jamiatkhanji Babi Bahadur, (qv)
  • HH Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad SALABATKHANJI II JAMIATKHANJI Babi Bahadur, 9th Nawab of Balasinor 1945/2018, born 20th May 1944 in Baroda, succeeded 2nd February 1945, married Begum Farhat Sultana, daughter of Captain Sahibzada Usman Muhammad Khan of Palanpur, and had issue, one son and three daughters. He died in January 2018.
    • HH Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad Salauddinkhanji Salabatkhanji Babi Bahadur (qv)
    • Nawabzadi Meher Afshan Sultana, born 1966, married 19th January 1986.
    • Nawabzadi Anjum Sultana, born 1970, married 25th December 1994 in Balasinor, Nawab Abdul Majid Khan Diler Jang Bahadur of Savanur, and has issue.
    • Nawabzadi Aaliya Sultana, born 1974.
  • HH Shree Nawab Saheb Muhammad SALAUDDINKHANJI SALABATKHANJI Babi Bahadur, 10th Nawab of Balasinor (see above)