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Maharaja SirYadavindra SinghGCIE GBE
Singh in 1971
Maharaja of Patiala
Reign	23 March 1938 – 15 August 1947
Predecessor	Bhupinder Singh
Successor	Amarinder Singh (as titular monarch)
Minister of State	See list Liaqat Hayat Khan
Born	1913 January 7 Patiala, Patiala State, British India
Died	17 June 1974 (aged 59–60) The Hague, Netherlands
Maharanis	Hem Prabha Devi ​ ​(m. 1935⁠–⁠1974)​ Mehtab Kaur of Patiala ​ ​(m. 1938⁠–⁠1974)​
Issue	Heminder Kaur (daughter) Rupinder Kaur (daughter) Amarinder Singh (son) Malvinder Singh (son)
Dynasty	Phulkian
Father	Bhupinder Singh
Mother	Bakhtawar Kaur
Religion	Sikhism
Indian Ambassador to Italy
In office 1965–1966
Indian Ambassador to the Netherlands
In office 1971–1974
Preceded by	Jagan Nath Dharmija
Succeeded by	K. S. Bajpai
Cricket information
Batting	Right-handed
International information
National side	India (1934)
Only Test (cap 21)	10 February 1934 v England
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class Matches 1 52 Runs scored 84 1,629 Batting average 42.00 20.88 100s/50s 0/1 2/7 Top score 60 132 Balls bowled – 2,891 Wickets – 50 Bowling average – 30.73 5 wickets in innings – 1 10 wickets in match – 0 Best bowling – 5/131 Catches/stumpings 2/– 32/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 31 May 2020

Yadavindra Singh GCIE GBE (pronunciation) was the ninth and last ruling Maharaja of Patiala from 1938 to 1947. Singh kept his royal titles until 1971, when princely titles were abolished through the 26th Amendment to the Constitution of India. In his life, Singh was also a diplomat, sports administrator and former cricketer who played one Test in 1934.

Early life

Born in Patiala City, Patiala State, within the British Raj (now in Punjab, India) in 1914 into a Jat Sikh family of the Sidhu clan, Yadavindra Singh attended Aitchison College in Lahore. He served in the Patiala State Police, became its Inspector General and served in Malaya, Italy and Burma during the World War II. In 1935, he married his first wife, Hem Prabha Devi of Saraikela State (1913–2014).

Singh succeeded his father, Bhupinder Singh, as the Maharaja of Patiala on 23 March 1938 and subsequently married his second wife, Mehtab Kaur (1922–2017), in 1938. Although the stated reason for his second marriage was his first wife being issueless, it was speculated that the actual reason was the influences of Akali leaders who wanted the future Maharaja of Patiala to marry a woman from a Jat Sikh family in order to beget genuine Sikh heirs.

Reign

Following his accession to the throne of Patiala, Singh pursued a political and diplomatic career, serving as chancellor of the Chamber of Princes from 1943 to 1944. In 1947, when India gained independence, he was the pro-chancellor of the Chamber of Princes. At a special session he said "After centuries time has come when India has gained independence from foreign rule and it's the time when we all (princely states) should unite for our motherland" and persuaded many other rulers to join India.

Singh also served as president of the Indian Olympic Association from 1938 to 1960. He was instrumental in foundaing and organizing the Asian Games. He was a noted horticulturist by passion and later served as chairman of Indian Horticulture Development Council.

Partition of India (1947)

During the partition of India in 1947, numerous pogroms occurred in and around the princely state of Patiala. In several cases, organized bands of Sikhs were responsible for atrocities. The late Harkishan Singh Surjeet, of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), witnessed the events and claimed in an interview: 'The communal attacks on the minorities were definitely planned. I know more about the persons involved in the eastern wing because I was there. I saw those dreadful acts with my own eyes. In that conspiracy, the Maharaja of Patiala was involved. The idea was that if the Muslims were driven out.' The attacks on Sikhs and Hindus in March 1947 in Rawalpindi are regarded as one of the major crimes that triggered off others. Nehru believed the Maharaja had sought to ethnically cleanse the territory of Muslims as part of this effort. Maharajas of Patiala and Faridkot, and Yadavindra Singh is quoted as having said "We won't leave a Muslim here" at a party with British officers. The Foreign Minister of Patiala, Sardar Bari Ram Sharma issued a denial stating "I definitely assert that no Patiala soldier has associated himself with or has been involved in any killings in any part of the East Punjab."

Singh agreed to the incorporation of the Patiala State into India.

Donations

In 1956, Singh donated the Anand Bhawan, a 150 bigha palace, to the Government of Punjab (before the creation of Himachal Pradesh). Singh also donated Moti Bagh Palace to the Government of India, which became the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports.

He later founded Yadavindra Public School. Lal Bagh Palace, the building in which Yadavindra Public School is housed was donated by Singh. The Yadavindra Public School, Mohali is also named after him and was established by the members of his family.

Family

After succeeding his father, Bhupinder Singh, as the Maharaja of Patiala, Singh supported his siblings and financially and arranged many of their marriages. One of his sisters, Naginder Kumari Khanna married Vipin Khanna.

Later career and death

Singh was Rajpramukh of the new Indian state of Patiala and East Punjab States Union until it was merged with Punjab in 1956. He continued his career from 1956 onwards, serving as Indian delegate to the United Nations General Assembly from 1956 to 1957 and to UNESCO in 1958. He also headed the Indian delegation to the FAO on and off during 1959–1969. Singh served as Indian Ambassador to Italy (1965–1966) and as Indian Ambassador to the Netherlands from 1971 until 17 June 1974, when he died suddenly in office at The Hague from heart failure, age 60. On specific instructions of Indira Gandhi, he was cremated with full state honours.

Personal life

He was succeeded as family head by his son Captain Amarinder Singh, who is a politician with the formerly Congress now in the Bhartiya Janata Party and who served as Chief Minister of the Indian State of Punjab from 2002 to 2007 and again starting in 2017 to 2021. His daughter, Heminder Kaur, was married to K. Natwar Singh, the former Minister of External Affairs of India.

Titles

• 1913–1935: Sri Yuvaraja Yadavindra Singh Sahib-ji
• 1935–1938: Lieutenant Sri Yuvaraja Yadavindra Singh Sahib-ji
• 1938–1939: Lieutenant His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala
• 1939–1942: Captain His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala
• 1942–1944: Major His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Yadavindra Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, GBE
• 1944–1945: Lieutenant-Colonel His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Yadavindra Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, GBE
• 1945–1946: Major-General His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Yadavindra Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, GBE
• 1946–1971: Lieutenant-General His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Yadavindra Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, GCIE, GBE
• 1971–1974: Lieutenant-General Sir Yadavindra Singh, GCIE, GBE

Honours

(ribbon bar, as it would look today; UK decorations only)

• King George V Silver Jubilee Medal-1935
• King George VI Coronation Medal-1937
• Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE)-1942
• 1939-1945 Star-1945
• Burma Star-1945
• Africa Star-1945
• Italy Star-1945
• British War Medal-1945
• India Service Medal-1945
• Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE)-1946
• Indian Independence Medal-1947
• Grand Cross of the Romanian order
• Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy-1966

Gallery

References

1. "The Greatest: One Test Wonders". International Cricket Council. Archived from the original on 20 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
2. "Yadavindra Singh". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
3. Balfour, Edward (1885). The Cyclopædia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia: Commercial, Industrial and Scientific, Products of the Mineral, Vegetable, and Animal Kingdoms, Useful Arts and Manufactures. B. Quaritch. Archived from the original on 15 February 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
4. Singh, K.C. (3 August 2017). "Tales from two Punjabs". tribuneindia.com. Archived from the original on 25 September 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
5. PTI (10 December 2022). "PT Usha becomes first woman IOA president". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
6. Sengupta, Rudraneil (17 September 2023). "Asian Games 2023: India's brightest medal prospects". Moneycontrol. Archived from the original on 27 December 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
7. Majumdar, Boria (12 November 2010). "How India gave Asia its Games". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
8. ^ Sidhu, Lovedeep Kaur (8 January 2013). "The last of the Maharajas". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
9. Mustafa Janjua, Haroon (7 January 2014). "Daily Times – Unheard cries: atrocities in Patiala, 1947". Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
10. Hajari, Nisid (15 June 2015). Midnight's Furies: The Deadly Legacy of India's Partition. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 9781445648095. Archived from the original on 3 May 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
11. Singh, Ganda (1960). "A Diary of the Partition Days – 1947". Journal of Indian History. XXXV (Part I, No. 112): 270.
12. Panjab Past and Present. Patiala: Department of Punjab Historical Studies, Punjabi University. 2000. pp. 94–97. Archived from the original on 20 June 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
13. "Representation from Lt.Col Kunwar Brijindra Singh,the younger brother of H.H. Maharaja of Patiala regarding -1).Cut in his monthly allowance. 2). Restoration of Jewellery of his wife and his mother and a House in Chail. 3).Share from Trust fund of Rs.16 Lakhs for marriage of Members of H.H. family". Indian Culture. 1954. Archived from the original on 30 June 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2024 – via National Archives of India.
14. "Representation from Raja Raghavendra Singh, brother of H.H. the Maharaja of Patiala against the Maharaja of Patiala". Indian Culture. 1954. p. 5. Retrieved 23 June 2024 – via National Archives of India.
15. Rana, Mahendra Singh (2006). India Votes: Lok Sabha & Vidhan Sabha Elections 2001–2005. Sarup & Sons. ISBN 978-81-7625-647-6. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
16. "Arvind Khanna Bereaved". PressReader. 3 July 2012. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
17. Graça, J. Da; Graça, John Da (13 February 2017). Heads of State and Government. New York: Springer. p. 459. ISBN 978-1-349-65771-1.
18. Ashton, S. R. (3 May 2023). British Policy Towards the Indian States 1905–1939. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-85577-7.
19. ^ Singh, Khushwant (15 February 2017). Captain Amarinder Singh: The People's Maharaja: An Authorized Biography. Hay House, Inc. ISBN 978-93-85827-44-0. Archived from the original on 20 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.

External links

• Yadavindra Singh at ESPNcricinfo

• Genealogy of the rulers of Patiala
• 1933 Film made by R.M. Wilson and M. Pemberton, Marriage of the Maharaj Kumar Yadavindra Singh of Patiala

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