Hari Singh Totally Explained

Everything about Hari Singh totally explained

Lieutenant-General Shriman Rajrajeshwar Maharajadhiraj Sri Sir Hari Singhji Indar Mahindar Bahadur, Sipar-i-Sultanat, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO (30 September 1895, Jammu–26 April 1961, Mumbai) was the last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir in India. He married Maharani Tara Devi (1910-1967), his fourth wife as his first three wives had died young, and had one son, Karan Singh.

Early life

Hari Singh was born on 30 September 1895 at the palace of Amar Mahal, Jammu, the only surviving son of General Raja Sir Amar Singh (14 January 1864-26 March 1909), the younger son of General Maharajadhiraj Sri Sir Ranbir Singh and the brother of Lieutenant-General Maharajadhiraj Sri Sir Pratap Singh, the then Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir.

Education and preparation for the throne

In 1903, Hari Singh served as a Page of Honour to Lord Curzon at the grand Delhi Durbar. At the age of 13, Hari Singh was dispatched to Mayo College in Ajmer. A year later in 1909, when his father died, the British took a personal interest in his education and appointed Major H.K. Brar as his guardian. After Mayo College the ruler-in-waiting went to the Imperial Cadet Corps at Dehra Dun for military training, imbibing its British upper-crust atmosphere and polishing his English to a high gloss, and by the age of 20 he'd been appointed commander-in-chief of the Jammu and Kashmri state forces, which had a solid Hindu majority.

Singh's reign

Following the death of his uncle, Sir Pratap Singh, in 1925, Sir Hari Singh ascended the throne of Jammu and Kashmir. He made primary education compulsory in the State, introduced laws prohibiting child marriage and threw open places of worship for the low castes.
   Singh was hostile towards the Indian National Congress, in part because of the close friendship between Kashmiri political activist and socialist Sheikh Abdullah and Nehru. He also opposed the Muslim League and its members' communalist outlook illustrated in their two-nation theory. During the Second World War, from 1944-1946 Sir Hari Singh was a member of the Imperial War Cabinet.
   In 1947, Singh chose to accede his kingdom to India, although a majority of the kingdom's population was Muslim. Pakistan and India have since fought several wars over possession of the region and of the state. He originally manoeuvered to maintain his independence by playing off India and Pakistan against each other. However, following an incursion by tribesmen from Pakistan in October 1947, Singh appealed to India for its help. He then acceded to India, though there's considerable controversy over exactly at what point.
   These events triggered the first Indo-Pakistan War. Singh retreated to Jammu and eventually left the state, dying on 26 April 1961 in Bombay after a reign of 35 years, aged 66.
   In 1951 Singh's rule was terminated by the state government of Indian-administered Kashmir. His son Yuvraj (Crown Prince) Karan Singh was made 'Sadr-e-Riyasat' ('President of the Province') and Governor of the State in 1964.

Family

Singh married four times in all:
1. Dharampur Rani Sri Lala Kunverba Sahiba; married at Rajkot 7 May 1913, died during pregnancy in 1915. No issue.
   2. Chamba Rani Sahiba; married at Chamba 8 November 1915, died 31 January 1920. No issue.
   3. Her Highness Maharani Dhanvant Kunveri Baiji Sahiba (1910-19?); married at Dharampur 30 April 1923. No issue.
   4. Her Highness Maharani Tara Devi Sahiba of Nepal, CI (1910-1967); granddaughter of Maharaja Sri Teen Sir Mohan Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana, married 1928, separated 1950, one son:

Karan Singh (9 March 1931-)

Titles

1895-1916: Sri Hari Singh 1916-1918: Raja Sri Hari Singh 1918-1922: Captain Raja Sri Sir Hari Singh, KCIE 1922-1925: Captain Raja Sri Sir Hari Singh, KCIE, KCVO 1925-1926: Captain His Highness Shriman Rajrajeshwar Maharajadhiraj Sri Sir Hari Singhji Indar Mahindar Bahadur, Sipar-i-Sultanat, Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, KCIE, KCVO 1926-1929: Colonel His Highness Shriman Rajrajeshwar Maharajadhiraj Sri Sir Hari Singhji Indar Mahindar Bahadur, Sipar-i-Sultanat, Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, KCIE, KCVO 1929-1933: Colonel His Highness Shriman Rajrajeshwar Maharajadhiraj Sri Sir Hari Singhji Indar Mahindar Bahadur, Sipar-i-Sultanat, Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, GCIE, KCVO 1933-1935: Colonel His Highness Shriman Rajrajeshwar Maharajadhiraj Sri Sir Hari Singhji Indar Mahindar Bahadur, Sipar-i-Sultanat, Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, GCSI, GCIE, KCVO 1935-1938: Major-General His Highness Shriman Rajrajeshwar Maharajadhiraj Sri Sir Hari Singhji Indar Mahindar Bahadur, Sipar-i-Sultanat, Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, GCSI, GCIE, KCVO 1938-1941: Major-General His Highness Shriman Rajrajeshwar Maharajadhiraj Sri Sir Hari Singhji Indar Mahindar Bahadur, Sipar-i-Sultanat, Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, GCSI, GCIE, KCVO, LL.D 1941-1946: Lieutenant-General His Highness Shriman Rajrajeshwar Maharajadhiraj Sri Sir Hari Singhji Indar Mahindar Bahadur, Sipar-i-Sultanat, Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, GCSI, GCIE, KCVO, LL.D 1946-1961: Lieutenant-General His Highness Shriman Rajrajeshwar Maharajadhiraj Sri Sir Hari Singhji Indar Mahindar Bahadur, Sipar-i-Sultanat, Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, LL.D

Honours

Delhi Durbar Medal-1903
   Delhi Durbar Medal-1911
   Prince of Wales Visit Medal-1922 Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE)-1929 (KCIE-1918)
   Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Italy-1930 Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India (GCSI)-1933 King George V Silver Jubilee Medal-1935 King George VI Coronation Medal-1937
   Hon. LL.D from Punjab University-1938
   Grand Officer of the Legion d'Honneur-1938 1939-1945 Star-1945 Africa Star-1945 British War Medal-1945
   India Service Medal-1945
   Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO)-1946 (KCVO-1922)
   Indian Independence Medal-1947

Further Information

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