A Maharaja's Turf
by Indra Vikram Singh
Collector’s edition on the
triumph of
Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla
in the Epsom Derby of England in 1934
Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla
in the Epsom Derby of England in 1934
Published
in India by Sporting Links
ISBN
978-81-901668-3-6
Fully
Illustrated
Hardcover
with jacket 8.75 x 11.5 x 0.6 inches (landscape)
140
Pages
The Book : This is the
story of the exhilarating victory of Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla in
the Epsom Derby of England in 1934, the only Indian owner to win the blue riband
of the turf in its history dating back to 1780. The dapper Indian prince’s
horse Windsor Lad left the hitherto undefeated favourite Colombo trailing in
third place in the presence of royalty led by King George V and Queen Mary, and
a multitude of an estimated quarter to half a million people on that damp
afternoon of 6th June. The triumph earned the Maharaja a unique
hat-trick of Derby victories as he had already clinched the first
Indian Derby at Calcutta in 1919 with his horse Tipster, and the Irish Derby at
Curragh in 1926 with Embargo.
The enthralling
tale recounted by the Maharaja’s grandson Indra Vikram Singh offers an
insider's insight, and is embellished with rare media photographs of the race
and from the Rajpipla royal family collection over many generations. It
has been extensively researched from about 80 newspapers and magazines of 1934,
five books and websites, and carries articles by the Maharaja himself. There
are news reports, cartoons and caricatures which open out a whole new world. Featured
are the British royal family, the Aga Khan, Maharaja Man Singh II of
Jaipur and the leading racehorses, owners, trainers and jockeys of the
day, among other eminent personalities.
The book
captures the era between the two World Wars, of imperial times and a royal
lifestyle, also going back centuries into history, connecting the past and the
present and depicting the march of time, even as the thrilling race remains the
central theme. It unfolds the tale of the uncanny prophesy of Gipsy Lee, the several coincidences
around the number 13, the defeat of a 'super-horse', and the unrelenting quest
of a prince to realise his dream that is bound to keep the reader transfixed.
The Author : Hailing from
the erstwhile royal family of Rajpipla, now in the state of Gujarat,
India, Indra Vikram Singh is a heritage resort promoter, writer,
author, editor and publisher. He is author of 'Test Cricket - End of the Road?'
(Rupa & Co., 1992); 'World Cup Cricket' (Rupa & Co., 2002); 'The Little
Big Book of World Cup Cricket' (edition I, Sporting Links, 2007); ‘The Little
Big Book of World Cup Cricket’, edition II (ISBN 978-81-731422-0-8, Media
Eight, 2011); ‘A Maharaja’s Turf’ (ISBN 978-81-901668-3-6, Sporting Links,
2011) on the triumph of his grandfather Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla in
the Epsom Derby of England in 1934; 'The Big Book of World Cup Cricket' (ISBN
978-81-901668-4-3, Collector's edition, Sporting Links, 2011); 'Don's Century'
(ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0, Sporting Links, 2011) which is a biography of Don
Bradman and a panorama of batting from the 1860s to the present times; and
'Crowning Glory' (ISBN 978-81-901668-6-7, Sporting Links, 2011), a special
supplement on India's win in the ICC World Cup 2011.
The author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted
on email singh_iv@hotmail.com. His blogs www.indravikramsingh.blogspot.com and
www.singhiv.wordpress.com offer an insight into his work, his family and
heritage.
Contents
:
Chapter 1 : Chasing a dream
Chapter 2 : Thoroughbred with great
potential
Chapter 3 : Captivating prelude
Chapter 4 : Day of glory
Chapter 5 : "Good old Pip"
Chapter 6 : A time to celebrate
Chapter 7 : Media carnival
Chapter 8 : Windsor Lad: gallant and
endearing
Chapter 9 : Marcus Marsh: chip off the old
block
Chapter 10 : Charlie Smirke: dashing rider
with a point to prove
Chapter 11 : An uncanny forecast..... and
the lucky number 13
Chapter 12 : Was 'super horse' Colombo
unlucky?
Chapter 13 : Experts and bookmakers bite
the dust
Chapter 14 : Poignant moments
Chapter 15 : 'I didn't think I would win
the Derby - I knew'
Chapter 16 : "My Three Derbys"
Chapter 17 : A life blessed
Chapter 18 : The family's cherished
memories
Chapter 19 : Special postal cover to
commemorate the platinum jubilee of the Derby triumph
Chapter 20 : Rajpipla State post
Chapter 21 : The Gohil Rajput clan
Epilogue
Bibliography
Colour photo feature / Royal family of
Rajpipla in modern times
Don’s Century
by Indra Vikram Singh
Biography of Don Bradman
and a panaroma of batting
from the 1860s to the present times
from the 1860s to the present times
Published
in India by Sporting Links
ISBN
978-81-901668-5-0
Fully
illustrated
Paperback
French Fold 11 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
188 pages
The Book : The questions
still asked are: how great was Don Bradman actually, was he just a run-getting
machine and a statistical marvel, or was he truly the best there has ever been,
have there been other batsmen as good or better than Bradman. Don’s Century
analyses Bradman’s batting technique, brings forth his amazing achievements at
the crease, and assesses the merits of other great batsmen from the 1860s to
the present times. Written in the centenary year of the peerless Don Bradman,
the book is a celebration of the life and magic of the willow of The Don, and
also of the art of batting and indeed the game of cricket.
The 11-chapter
book by Indra Vikram Singh, the only Indian biographer of Bradman, interspersed
with stories and comments from legendary writers and cricketers alike, and
extensively researched from scores of old publications, has three sections.
The main segment
showcases Bradman's days at the crease from Bowral to Sydney, on to Lord's and
Leeds, back to Adelaide, and finishing at The Oval in 1948. The legend begins
with young Don’s rise to the top, his first fifty and hundred in the backwaters
of Bowral, the maiden double century against Wingello and triple ton versus
Moss Vale, hundred on first-class debut and on to Test cricket. Bradman’s
legendary feats in the Test arena are recalled in all their magnificence, the
hundreds in his first Test series, the unprecedented and still-unparalleled
triumphs of the Ashes tour of 1930, and annihilation of the West Indies and
South African teams.
The saga
undergoes a dramatic twist with the vicious Bodyline attack that was devised
solely to decimate the genius of Bradman. This chapter carries extracts from
letters received by the author from England’s Bob Wyatt who was vice captain to
Douglas Jardine during that infamous series.
The aftermath of
Bodyline, Bradman’s exhilarating fightbacks on and off the field, how his
stirring deeds brought solace to the suffering millions during the Great
Depression, and his resilience as captain of Australia are presented lucidly,
leading to the sabbatical brought about by the Second World War. The final lap
of The Don’s career after the war, the firm hold on the Ashes, his exploits
against the first Indian team after the nation’s independence, and finally the
1948 tour of England by his ‘Invincibles’ are described vividly and
objectively. The text is supplemented by twenty scorecards detailing Bradman’s
finest achievements in the first-class and Test arenas.
A large chapter
in the middle is a panorama of batting portraying thirty-four of the best
players down the ages, for no story of Sir Donald Bradman can be complete
without an appraisal of other giants of the crease.
Commencing with
the colossus of the Victorian era Dr. W.G. Grace, the captivating genius Prince
Ranjitsinhji, the endearing and enthralling Victor Trumper from Australia, the
complete master Sir Jack Hobbs, continuing with the likes of Frank Woolley,
Charles 'Governor General' Macartney, Bill Ponsford, Walter Hammond, Stan
McCabe, the forbear to West Indies giants George Headley, the brilliant South
Africans Bruce Mitchell and Dudley Nourse, India’s Vijay Merchant, Sir Leonard
Hutton, Dennis Compton, Neil Harvey, Arthur Morris, the inimitable Ws Sir Frank
Worrell, Sir Everton Weekes and Sir Clyde Walcott, the original little master
Pakistan’s Hanif Mohammad, the incomparable Sir Garfield Sobers, Graeme
Pollock, Barry Richards, Greg Chappell, Sunil Gavaskar, Sir Vivian Richards,
arguably New Zealand’s finest Martin Crowe, Steve Waugh, the exhilarating Sri
Lankan Aravinda de Silva, and concluding with the champions of the modern era
Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden, and many more
referred to down history, how good they were, and how they compared with each
other and Bradman.
They include
some of Bradman's favourite players. This is not just a factual or statistical segment,
but importantly talks about the epochs and conditions they played in, and also
has interesting little tales. It traces the evolution and development of the
game from W.G. Grace’s days in the 1860s till the present day.
The third and
concluding part explores the vicissitudes of Bradman’s life, trials and
tribulations, his persona, way of life and quest for excellence, the
detractors, friends and family, post-retirement days and role as cricket
administrator, and the final stretch of one of the most amazing stories ever,
of a sporting hero and icon beyond compare. A handwritten letter from The Don
received by the author Indra Vikram Singh in 1999, and an article based on it
that he wrote at Bradman’s demise in 2001, are all featured in this tribute to
the unquestioned king of kings of the crease.
There are nearly
100 classic photographs of Bradman and other greats in sepia brown from the top
agencies of the world. A comprehensive statistics section highlighting
Bradman’s accomplishments and records sums up the inspirational tale. A
detailed index makes the book extremely user-friendly.
The Author : Hailing from
the erstwhile royal family of Rajpipla, now in the state of Gujarat,
India, Indra Vikram Singh is a heritage resort promoter, writer, author,
editor and publisher. He is author of 'Test Cricket - End of the Road?' (Rupa
& Co., 1992); 'World Cup Cricket' (Rupa & Co., 2002); 'The Little Big
Book of World Cup Cricket' (edition I, Sporting Links, 2007); ‘The Little Big
Book of World Cup Cricket’, edition II (ISBN 978-81-731422-0-8, Media Eight,
2011); ‘A Maharaja’s Turf’ (ISBN 978-81-901668-3-6, Sporting Links, 2011) on
the triumph of his grandfather Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla in the
Epsom Derby of England in 1934; 'The Big Book of World Cup Cricket' (ISBN
978-81-901668-4-3, Collector's edition, Sporting Links, 2011); 'Don's Century'
(ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0, Sporting Links, 2011) which is a biography of Don
Bradman and a panorama of batting from the 1860s to the present times; and 'Crowning
Glory' (ISBN 978-81-901668-6-7, Sporting Links, 2011), a special supplement on
India's win in the ICC World Cup 2011.
The author Indra Vikram Singh can be
contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com. His blogs
www.indravikramsingh.blogspot.com and www.singhiv.wordpress.com offer an
insight into his work, his family and heritage.
Contents
Chapter 1 : Born to Conquer
Chapter 2 : The Phenomenon
Chapter 3 : Sinister Plot
Chapter 4 : Truly Immortal
Chapter 5 : At the Helm
Chapter 6 : The Ageing Lion
Chapter 7 : Peerless Rungetter and Other
Masters of the Willow
Chapter 8 : Reclusive and Focussed
Chapter 9 : The Game's Ultimate Authority
Chapter 10 : Travails Off the Field
Chapter 11 : End of a Glorious Innings
Career Record
Bibliography
Index
