PRESENT RULER: Shrimant GOVINDRAO [ABASAHEB] GHORPADE, Chief of Ichalkaranji 1946/-

born 1936, adopted in 1946 by the widow of Shrimant Narayanrao Govindrao Babasaheb Ghorpade, married and has issue, two sons.

PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: A small estate lying 47 kilometres east of Kolhapur. Estate holders were......

• Shrimant NARO MAHADEO JOSHI, Chief of Ichalkaranji 1698/1720, he was adopted by Shrimant Santaji Ghorpade, and was granted the inam of Ichalkaranji. He died 1720.

• Shrimant VENKATRAO NARAYANRAO GHORPADE, Chief of Ichalkaranji 1720/1745, born 1701, married Shrimant Anubai Sahiba, daughter of the first Maratha Peshwa, Balaji Vishwanath of Poona. He died 1745.

• Shrimant NARAYANRAO VENKATRAO GHORPADE, Chief of Ichalkaranji 1745/1770, died 1770.

• Shrimant VENKATRAO NARAYANRAO II GHORPADE, Chief of Ichalkaranji 1770/1795

• Shrimant NARAYANRAO BABASAHEB GHORPADE, Chief of Ichalkaranji 1795/1827

• Shrimant VENKATRAO NARAYANRAO III GHORPADE, Chief of Ichalkaranji 1827/1838

• Shrimant KESHAVRAO VENKATRAO TATYASAHEB GHORPADE, Chief of Ichalkaranji 1838/1852

• Shrimant NARAYANRAO GOVINDRAO BABASAHEB GHORPADE, Chief of Ichalkaranji 1852/1864, led the industrial revolution in Ichalkaranji, which was considered to be the "Manchester of Western India". Ichalkaranji became an industrial super state with an income almost half as much as that of Kolhapur despite being just 10th its size.

• Shrimant GOVINDRAO ABASAHEB GHORPADE, Chief of Ichalkaranji 1864/1876, born 1853, adopted the son of Laxman Joshi (descendant of Naro Mahadeo Joshi, early 17th century) in 1876, who assumed the name of Shrimant Narayanrao Govindrao Babasaheb Ghorpade (qv). He died 1876.

  • (A) Shrimant Narayanrao Govindrao Babasaheb Ghorpade (qv)

• Shrimant NARAYANRAO GOVINDRAO BABASAHEB GHORPADE, Chief of Ichalkaranji 1876/1943, born 1870 in Karkamb, Sholapur District, educated at Rajaram College, Kolhapur and Elphinstone and Law Colleges, Bombay, installed 1892, Member of the Bombay Legislative Council for 12 years; married in 1885, Shrimant Rani Gangabai [Maisaheb], daughter of Mohaniraj Paranjpe of Ahmednagar. They had no issue so he adopted his nephew Venkatrao in 1919. He died 21st October 1943 ^(#1).

  • (A) Shri Laxman Vishnu Joshi M.A. [After adoption he was known as Yuvaraj Venkatrao Narayanrao Ghorpade], nephew and adopted son, Professor of History at Kayastha Pathshala College in Allahabad 1915/1917, adopted by his uncle in 1919, Private Secretary to the Chief of Ichalkaranji, married May 1914, Smt. Soubhagyavati Anubai Vahinisaheb Ghorpade [née Vimalatai Kanitkar], born 19th October 1900 at Alibaug, daughter of Shri Govindrao Wasudeo Kanitkar, District Court Judge at Alibaug, and his wife, Smt Kashitai, she was educated at Yeola Primary School, Girl's High School at Hujoorpaga, Pune and matriculated from the Theosophical School in Banares, Member of the Theosophical Society in Kolhapur, President of the Shree Krishna Theosophical Lodge in Kolhapur; and had issue, one son and two daughters. He died 1924.

    • Shri Keshavrao Venkatrao Ghorpade, born 1920, died 1929.

    • Shrimati Shailajabai Ghorpade, married Shrimant Trimbakrao Bhawanrao Appasaheb Pant Pratinidhi, Chief of Vishalgadh, and had issue.

    • Shrimati Nirmaladevi Taisaheb Sohoni (née Ghorpade), married Shri Shridhar Vasudeo Sohoni, M.A., I.C.S., and had issue, two sons.

      • Dr. Venkatrao Sohoni, educated at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, with a degree in electronics engineering (1963) and at IIT, Mumbai in 1972 with a Ph.D. in information systems; worked with IBM World Trade Corporation Mumbai 1963/1970 and later with Sandoz India 1971/1985; President and C.E.O. of Wander 1985/1988; President, C.E.O. and Vice Chairman with Biosys, U.S.A. 1988/1995; Managing Director of Hindustan Ciba Geigy / Novartis, Mumbai, India 1996/1999; President and Managing Director of Pharmacia India, Gurgaon 1999/2003; Vice President of the Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (O.P.P.I.); Managing Director of Rallis India 2003/-; married Neera Kuckreja Sohoni, and has issue.

      • Shrinivasrao Sohoni

• Shrimant VINAYAK GHORPADE, Chief of Ichalkaranji 1943/1944, appointed by the Maharaja of Kolhapur, he claimed to be a descendant of Naro Mahadeo Joshi, and held the gaddi for a few months.

INTERREGNUM 1944/1946, after Shrimant Narayanrao Babasaheb Ghorpade passed away in October 1943, there was a lot of confusion about the succession. A member of the Kolhapur court was appointed for a short while, but appeals made by Shrimant Rani Gangabai Maisaheb, the widow of Shrimant Narayanrao Babasaheb to the Government (all the way to the Privy Council in London), finally resulted in her getting permission to adopt the successor. Even after that, there was some confusion because she wanted to adopt the son of Shrimati Nirmaladevi Taisaheb Sohoni (daughter of Venkatrao Narayanrao Ghorpade, see above). This was resisted by Smt. Anubai Vahinisaheb Ghorpade, the widow of Venkatrao Ghorpade. Eventually, this dispute was resolved and Smt. Gangabai Maisaheb adopted Govindrao Abasaheb Ghorpade in 1946. ^(#2)

• Shrimant GOVINDRAO ABASAHEB GHORPADE, Chief of Ichalkaranji (see above)