| Product
Code |
: |
PUD NO_897-1_G GILT |
| Subject | : | Rajkumar College - Macnaghten Medal |
| Size | : | 45 mm |
| Metal | : | Gold Gilt |
| Year | : | 1897 |
| Description | : | obv. Bust of Macnaghten, left, around border : CHESTER MACNAGHTEN M.A. PRINCIPAL 1871-1896. Signed : ALLAN WYON SC, rev. Within a laurel wreath : RAJKUMAR / COLLEGE / KATHIAWAD / PRIZE FOR / SCIENCE. Signed : ALLAN WYON SC.
Gold specimen noted engraved on edge : K.S. CHINTAMANRAO OF SANGLI. A silver gilt specimen noted was awarded in 1944 to K.S. MULRAJSINHJI OF JAMNAGAR thus confirming that medals in gold were discontinued prior to independence. In official college documents named the ‘Macnaghten Gold Medal for Science’ and it was created by many subscribers in 1897. First awarded in 1899 to Bhaya Vala of Sanala. Subsequent awards traced up to 1910: 1900 Mahomed Kulikhanji of Cambay; 1901 Mahomed Kulikhanji of Cambay; 1902 Ibrahimkhanji of Sachin; 1903 Laxman Vala fo Bilkha; 1904 Lakhajiraj of Rajkot; 1905-06 Gulam Jilani of Wai; 1906-07 Abdul Majidkhanji of Savanur; 1907-08 Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla; 1908-09 Chintaman Rao of Sangli; 1909-10 Fatesinh Rao of Akalkot. The naming of the medal was on the edge and usually preceded by : K.S., standing of Kumar Shri. ‘Shri’ is roughly equivalent to the English ‘Mr’ and ‘Kumar’ means son.
Chester Macnaghten was the first and most beloved principal of Rajkumar College. He was born in London in 1843 and his family had long connections with India. His grandfather, Sir Francis Macnaghten, was a judge in Calcutta and his father, who went to India in 1823, had a distinguished career as an officer of the Supreme Court in Calcutta and as a Director of the East India Company. Because of health problems, Chester Macnaghten’s early education was private but he later excelled at Cambridge. In 1866 he set off for India as tutor and companion to the Maharaja of Darbhanga. With the establishment of Rajkumar College of Kathiawar Chiefs, acting on the recommendation of J.B. Peile, the Director of Public Instruction, selected Macnaghten as the first principal, a position he retained for 25 years, to the end of his life. |
