Raj Kumari Nikhanj is an Indian woman who is famous for being the mother of the legendary Indian cricketer Kapil Dev.
Wiki/Biography
Raj Kumari Nikhanj was born Raj Kumari Lajwanti in 1924 (age 85 years; at time of death) in Pakpattan (the Sufi town of Baba Farid), Punjab, Pakistan. After the partition of India, Raj Kumari, along with her husband and four daughters, moved to Fazilka in Punjab, India. He lived there for several years and eventually moved to Chandigarh with his family.
Physical appearance
Hair Color: Salt & Pepper
Eye Color: Brown
Family
Parents & Siblings
Not much is known about his parents.
Husband & Son
Raj Kumari is married to Ram Lal Nikhanj, a teak merchant. The couple had seven children; three sons and four daughters. His daughters, Naresh, Manju, Neeru, and Pinky Gill were born in Shah Yakka, Okara, Punjab, Pakistan. Two of her sons, Ramesh Kumar Nikhanj and Bhushan Nikhanj, were born in Fazilka, Punjab, where Raj Kumari and her husband lived shortly after the partition of India. His youngest son, Kapil Dev, the legendary Indian cricketer, was born in Chandigarh. Raj Kumari raised all seven of her children alone after her husband’s death in 1975.
Raj Kumari Nikhanj with her husband and son, Kapil Dev
Raj Kumari Nikhanj’s son, Kapil Dev, and one of his daughters
Raj Kumari Nikhanj with his family
grandchildren
Raj Kumari Nikhanj is the grandmother of Amiya Dev (daughter of Kapil Dev) who was born on 16 January 1996.
Granddaughter of Raj Kumari Nikhanj, Amiya Dev
Career
Raj Kumari Nikhanj is a housewife.
Death
On June 14, 2009, Raj Kumari Nikhanj breathed her last at around 5 am at her residence in Sector 27, Chandigarh. Apparently, he had been suffering from health problems for a long time. His last ceremony was held around 5 pm on the same day at the Sector 25 crematorium. His funeral was attended by close relatives and friends. Kapil Dev’s close friend Rakesh Jolly (former Haryana cricketer) and his former coach Dronacharya Desh Prem Azad were also present at his last rites.
Last rites of Raj Kumari Nikhanj
Facts/Trivia
- Raj Kumari has a passion for cooking.
- Raj Kumari Nikhanj is the biggest inspiration in Kapil Dev’s life.
- He used to call Kapil fondly by the name ‘Kuckoo.’
- In his autobiography titled ‘Straight from the Heart,’ Kapil has described his mother as a “pillar of strength” in his life. He has also mentioned that he was the main influence that shaped him and shaped his career in its formative years. Talking about his mother in his autobiography, Kapil wrote,
Ma is precious to all of us. I will look forward to his love and guidance. He was the greatest cook on Earth and I have fond memories of how he would serve me hot and fresh food. He was the force behind my rise as a teenager who wanted to play fast for India.”
Raj Kumari Nikhanj at Kapil Dev’s book launch
- During her death, one of her relatives recalled that on June 25, 1983 when India won the World Cup under the leadership of Kapil Dev, Raj Kumari distributed laddoo to all her friends and congratulated her.
- In an interview, While talking about Raj Kumari, Kapil’s coach, Dronacharya Desh Prem Azad, who is quite close to the family, said,
Kapil is the apple of his mother’s eye. I remember he would insist Kapil to take buttermilk during his early days in cricket. Similarly, Kapil is a very friendly son, quite close to him.”
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
