The Nawab of Bhopal or, more appropriately, Major General H.H.Sikander Saulat Iftikar Ul Mulk Nawab Hafiz Sir Muhammad Hamidullah Khan Bahadur. was destined to succeed Jinnah as the second Governor General of Pakistan but was forced by pressures of his responsibilities in India to forego the honour when Jinnah died suddenly. His photograph was taken on his visit to England in 1925 along with his mother, who was trying to assure his succession with the British government.

The portrait of Sir Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji bears remarkable resemblance to his descendent, cricketer Ajay Jadeja. Ranjitsinhji, like his legatee, is known for his cricketing skills and it was after him that the Ranji trophy was instituted. His photograph captures him in his ceremonial dress and sword, with an emerald and diamond necklace embedded with 277 carats of the best emeralds in the world. Royalty at its opulent best.

One of the rarest pictures of the selection is that of Baba Khem Singh Bedi, who was the fourteenth spiritual head of the Sikhs by direct descent from the founder of their faith, Guru Nanak. He did much to maintain the martial spirit of the Sikhs by encouraging recruits to join the various Sikh regiments. He gave away liberally for the purpose of education, and at least fifty schools were opened for boys and girls in Punjab with his help.

In 1883, on the occasion of his daughter’s wedding, he donated Rs. 300,000 to religious and charitable causes. Half this amount was used for establishing a college in Rawalpindi. This photograph was taken in 1902 when Baba Bedi was invited to England as an official representative of the Punjab at the Coronation of King Edward Vll, (Image dated 1902)