1922 Encyclopædia Britannica/Gwalior, Sir Mahdo Rao Sindhia, Maharaja of

GWALIOR, SIR MAHDO RAO SINDHIA, Maharaja of (1876– ), was born Oct. 20 1876, and succeeded his father, Sir Jayaji Rao Sindhia, in 1886 (see 12.748–9). He threw himself with the utmost keenness into the supervision of every detail of State management, endowing Gwalior with an excellent system of light railways, carrying out irrigation projects, husbanding the revenues and raising the standards of administration by unceasing vigilance. A great sportsman, on his visits to England for the coronations of 1902 and 1911 he delighted spectators at Hurlingham and elsewhere by his prowess in polo matches and other mounted sports. To his profound disappointment serious ill-health when the World War broke out prevented his service at the front; but he bent all his energies to helping the Allied cause. His two regiments and transport corps fought with distinction in France, East Africa, Egypt and Mesopotamia. A boundless and inventive generosity found scope in his constant presentation of munitions of war and princely donations to various relief funds. He took the main part in purchasing, equipping and maintaining the hospital ship "Loyalty," which carried 15,000 war patients; and provided a convalescent home at Nairobi in East Africa—to mention only a few of his gifts. He actively combated false and discouraging reports in India regarding the war. A lieutenant-general in the British army, and hon. colonel of 1st Duke of York's Own Lancers (Skinner's Horse), he was hon. A.D.C. to King George V., had the Grand Crosses of the Victorian Order, the Star of India and the British Empire; his permanent dynastic salute was raised to the maximum of 21 guns; and Oxford and Cambridge conferred upon him their hon. doctorates in law. King George V. also honoured him by becoming sponsor to his heir, George Jivaji Rao (b. 1916).