Sawai Man Singh II

Sawai Man Singh II Maharaja of Jaipur The Maharaja inspecting Jaipur State forces during World War II Reign 1912–1948 Coronation 18 September 1922 Born August 21, 1912 Died June 24, 1970 (age 58) Consort Maharani Marudhar Kanwar, Maharani Kishore Kanwar, Maharani Gayatri Devi Offspring 4 sons and a daughter Royal House Maharaja of Jaipur Father Thakur Sawai Singh Sawai Man Singh II (Mor Mukut Singh; August 21, 1912–June 24, 1970) was the last ruling Maharaja of Jaipur belonging to Kachwaha clan of Rajputs. He ruled the princely state between 1922 and 1949, when the state acceded unto the Dominion of India. Thereafter, he held office as Rajpramukh of Rajasthan between 1949 to 1956.[1] In later life, he served as Ambassador of India to Spain. He was also a notable sportsman and celebrated polo player. Early life Sawai Man Singh II (also known in Jaipur as "SMS") was born Mor Mukut Singh, the second son of Thakur Sawai Singh of Isarda by his wife Sugan Kunwar from kotla (Utter Pradesh). His father was a nobleman belonging to the Kachwaha clan of Rajputs. Mor Mukut grew up in the dusty, walled township of Isarda, a chief Thikana of the Rajawat sub-clan which lies between the towns of Sawai Madhopur and Jaipur in present-day Rajasthan. His family was connected to the ruling house of Jaipur and Kotah (where his father's sister was married). The then-Maharaja of Jaipur, Sawai Madho Singh II, had been born the son of a former Thakur of Isarda and had been adopted into the ruling family of Jaipur. After giving him up for adoption, Madho Singh's actual father had in turn lacked for an heir. He adopted the son of a distant kinsman and was succeeded by that lad as Thakur of Isarda. That lad was Sawai Singh, father of Mor Mukut Singh. In this manner, Mor Mukut could be reckoned near kin to Maharaja Madho Singh II of Jaipur. After being adopted to become Maharaja of Jaipur, Madho Singh II had numerous (no less than 65) children by various concubines, but the highly superstitious Maharaja was warned by a sage against having legitimate heirs and thus took great care not to impregnate his five wives. On March 24, 1921, Madho Singh II adopted Mor Mukut to be his son and heir. The boy was given the name "Man Singh" upon his adoption. Madho Singh II died on September 7, 1922 and was succeeded by Man Singh as Maharaja of Jaipur and head of the Kachwaha clan of Rajputs. The new Maharaja was eleven years old. Maharaja of Jaipur Upon his ascension in 1922, Man Singh embarked on a program of modernization, creating infrastructure and founding numerous public institutions that would later result in Jaipur being selected the capital of Rajasthan. In 1958, Man Singh was also among the ruler to realize the potential of tourism in Rajasthan, turning Rambagh Palace into a luxury hotel. Under his rule various laws of land reform were first introduced in his state,like Jaipur Tenancy Act. Later in 1956, the Jagidari (feudal) form of political administration were abolished during the government of the Congress Party in India. In 1965, the Indian government appointed Sawai Man Singh, Indian Ambassador to Spain. Utilising his various contacts in Europe, he spent much of his time in Europe to ensue new military technology and arms-deal for the Indian army (Crewe). He was especially noted as an enthusiastic (10-Goal) polo player, winning among other trophies the World Cup in 1933. During the 1950s, Man Singh owned Saint Hill Manor in East Grinstead, West Sussex, which was sold to L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology in 1959.[2] Death The unveiling ceremony of Sawai Man Singh's statue in Jaipur on Rajasthan day, 30th March 2005 In 1970, Man Singh suffered an accident while playing polo in Cirencester, England. He died later the same day. He was survived by his four sons. He was succeeded as titular Maharaja of Jaipur and head of the Kachwaha clan by his eldest son, Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh of Jaipur. Following his death Indira Gandhi was finally able to repress the power of India's former rulers in democratic India as they formed a large bulk of her opposition party, the Swatantra party. A statue of Sawai Man Singh was installed at the Ram Niwas Bagh in Jaipur, the statue was unveiled at a grand function on 30 March 2005.[3] Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh of Jaipur died on 17 April 2011, aged 78 years 8 months. Marriages His initial marriages were to suitable brides chosen from the royal family of Jodhpur, whose Rajput heritage and social ranking were similar to his own. His first wife was Maharani Marudhar Kanwar, sister of Sumer Singh, Maharaja of Jodhpur. His second wife was Maharani Kishore Kanwar, niece of his first wife and daughter of Sumer Singh. His most famous relationship, however, was his courtship and subsequent espousal of the legendary beauty, Gayatri Devi of Cooch Behar, daughter of Jitendra of Cooch Behar and Indira of Baroda. Children Maharaja Man Singh had several children; his daughter married the Maharaol of Baria, while his younger sons and grandson married princesses from Jubbal, Tripura, and Lunawada. He was succeeded on the throne by his eldest son, Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh of Jaipur. The Maharaja's children: By his first wife, Marudhar Kunwar, a sister of Sumer Singh, Maharaja of Jodhpur: one son and one daughter Bhawani Singh (b. 1931), succeeded his father's title in 1970. He married 1967 Padmini devi, daughter of the Maharaja of Sirmur, and had issue one daughter; Rajkumari Diya Kumari (b. 1970), married 1997 with issue, one son Kumar Padmanabh Singh (b. 1998) a great-grandson of Man Singh II through his mother, declared royal and adopted by her father HH Maharani Prem Kumari (1929–1970), who married 1948, the Maharawal of Baria, and had issue, one daughter, married into the Dumraon royal house, with issue one son (a great-grandson of Man Singh II). The princess died 1970. By his second wife Kishore Kunwar, a daughter of Sumer Singh, Maharaja of Jodhpur, and thus her co-wife's niece: two sons Maharaj Jai Singh, received the title Raja of Jhalai (b. 1933), He married 1983 Rani Vidya Devi, daughter of the Raja of Jubbal; one son Rajkumar Ajay Singh Maharaj Prithviraj (b. 1935); received the title Raja of Bhagwatgarth. He married and divorced (or separated from) Rani Devika Devi (she died 2009, a few months before her aunt Gayatri Devi[4]), daughter of Maharaj Ramendra Kishore Dev Varman of Tripura; issue 1 son Rajkumar Vijit Singh, who married in 1991 a daughter of the Maharaja of Lunawada minakshi singh issue 2 sons, vedant(b.1992), siddhant(b.1996) and a daughter(b.1993) By his third wife Rajmata Gayatri Devi (d. 2009): one son Prince Jagat Singh (Maharaj Jagat Singh), received the title Raja of Isarda (Isarda family genealogy) married 1978 (divorced 1987) to a Thai princess Rajkumari Lalitya Kumari (b. 1979) Devraj Singh, Raja Saheb of Isarda since 1997 (b. 1981) Full name and titles Lt. General His Highness Saramad-i-Rajaha-j-Hindustan Raj Rajendra Maharajadhiraj Shri Sir Sawai Man Singh II of Jaipur 1911-1921: Mor Mukut Singh of Isarda 1921-1922: Yuvraj Shri Man Singh, Yuvraj of Jaipur 1922-1931: His Highness Saramad-i-Rajaha-j-Hindustan Raj Rajendra Maharajadhiraj Shri Sawai Man Singh II, Maharaja of Jaipur 1931-1934: Lieutenant His Highness Saramad-i-Rajaha-j-Hindustan Raj Rajendra Maharajadhiraj Shri Sawai Man Singh II, Maharaja of Jaipur 1934-1935: Captain His Highness Saramad-i-Rajaha-j-Hindustan Raj Rajendra Maharajadhiraj Shri Sawai Man Singh II, Maharaja of Jaipur 1935-1940: Captain His Highness Saramad-i-Rajaha-j-Hindustan Raj Rajendra Maharajadhiraj Shri Sir Sawai Man Singh II, Maharaja of Jaipur, GCIE 1940-1944: Major His Highness Saramad-i-Rajaha-j-Hindustan Raj Rajendra Maharajadhiraj Shri Sir Sawai Man Singh II, Maharaja of Jaipur, GCIE 1944-1945: Lieutenant-Colonel His Highness Saramad-i-Rajaha-j-Hindustan Raj Rajendra Maharajadhiraj Shri Sir Sawai Man Singh II, Maharaja of Jaipur, GCIE 1945-1946: Major-General His Highness Saramad-i-Rajaha-j-Hindustan Raj Rajendra Maharajadhiraj Shri Sir Sawai Man Singh II, Maharaja of Jaipur, GCIE 1946-1947: Lieutenant-General His Highness Saramad-i-Rajaha-j-Hindustan Raj Rajendra Maharajadhiraj Shri Sir Sawai Man Singh II, Maharaja of Jaipur, GCIE 1947-1970: Lieutenant-General His Highness Saramad-i-Rajaha-j-Hindustan Raj Rajendra Maharajadhiraj Shri Sir Sawai Man Singh II, Maharaja of Jaipur, GCSI, GCIE Honours Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India (GCSI)-1947 Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE)-1935 See Also House of Kachwaha References ^ http://rajassembly.nic.in/govphoto.htm ^ About Saint Hill manor ^ http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/mar312005/n17.asp Deccan Herland 31 March 2005] ^ Rakhee Roy Talukdar "Royals won’t tell what Gayatri will holds" The Telegraph (Kolkata). Retrieved 13 November 2009 Allen C, Dwivedi S (1984), Lives of the Indian Princes, Century Publishing, London Atal A (1947), His Highness The Maharaa of Jaipur, a brief sketch (1922–1947), Silver Jubilee Publication, Jaipur Crewe Q (1985) The Last Maharaja, A Biography of Sawai Man Singh II, Michael Joseph, London Gayatri Devi (1995) A Princess Remembers, Rupa&Co, India Sawai Man Singh II House of Kachwaha Cadet branch of the Rajputs Born: 21 August 1912 Died: 24 June 1970 Regnal titles Preceded by Madho Singh II Maharaja of Jaipur 1922–1949 Monarchy abolished Dominion of India Political offices Preceded by ? Rajpramukh of Rajasthan 1949–1956 Succeeded by ? Preceded by ? Ambassador India to Spain ? – ? Succeeded by ? Titles in pretence Loss of title Dominion of India — TITULAR — Maharaja of Jaipur 14 August 1947 – 24 June 1970 Succeeded by Bhawani Singh Persondata Name Sawai Man Singh 02 Of Jaipur Alternative names Short description Date of birth August 21, 1912 Place of birth Date of death June 24, 1970 Place of death