Udaybhanu Singh

Chhatri of Rana Udaybhanu Singh at Dholpur

Udaybhanu Singh GCIE KCSI KCVO (12 February 1893 – 22 October 1954) was the Jat ruler of Dholpur state from 1911–1949, after which the State acceded to Union of India. He was from the Bamraulia gotra of Jats. Udaybhanu succeeded his brother Rana Ram Singh, who died without issue in 1911. Udaybhanu received full ruling rights on 9 October 1913.

He was educated at Mayo College, Ajmer and later joined the Imperial Cadet Corps at Dehradun.

Last ruler of Dholpur

He was the last ruler of Dholpur, and served as a delegate to the Round Table Conference in 1931. After India's independence in 1947, Maharaj Rana Udaybhanu Singh acceded Dholpur unto the Union of India on 7 April 1949. Dholpur was merged with three neighbouring states to form the Matsya union within the union of India, of which he was made Rajpramukh, but the union was later merged with several other such unions to form the present-day state of Rajasthan.

Singh died on 22 October 1954 after a 43-year reign, aged 61. He was succeeded by his grandson, Rana Hemant Singh, who was the titular Maharaja of Dholpur 1954–1971, after which the royal titles and privy purses were abolished in the Republic of India.

Personal life

In April 1911, Singh married Malvender Kaur (15 January 1893 – 12 December 1981), daughter of Shamsher Singh, the Sardar or Chieftain of Badrukhan in the state of Jind. The couple had an only daughter:

• Urmila Devi (1924–1997). Married in 1944 Pratap Singh Nabha (1919–1995; r. 1928-1971). and had three sons and one daughter, including the second son:
  • Hemant Singh, who succeeded his grandfather as Maharaj Rana of Dholpur.

Titles

• 1893-1901: Maharajkumar Shri Udaybhanu Singh
• 1901-1911: Raja Shri Udaybhanu Singh
• 1911-1918: His Highness Rais ud-Daula, Sipahdar ul-Mulk, Saramad Rajha-i-Hind, Maharajadhiraja Shri Sawai Maharaj Rana Udaybhanu Singh, Lokendra Bahadur, Diler Jang Jai Deo, Maharaj Rana of Dholpur
• 1918-1919: His Highness Rais ud-Daula, Sipahdar ul-Mulk, Saramad Rajha-i-Hind, Maharajadhiraja Shri Sawai Maharaj Rana Sir Udaybhanu Singh, Lokendra Bahadur, Diler Jang Jai Deo, Maharaj Rana of Dholpur, KCSI
• 1919-1922: Colonel His Highness Rais ud-Daula, Sipahdar ul-Mulk, Saramad Rajha-i-Hind, Maharajadhiraja Shri Sawai Maharaj Rana Sir Udaybhanu Singh, Lokendra Bahadur, Diler Jang Jai Deo, Maharaj Rana of Dholpur, KCSI
• 1922-1931: Colonel His Highness Rais ud-Daula, Sipahdar ul-Mulk, Saramad Rajha-i-Hind, Maharajadhiraja Shri Sawai Maharaj Rana Sir Udaybhanu Singh, Lokendra Bahadur, Diler Jang Jai Deo, Maharaj Rana of Dholpur, KCSI, KCVO
• 1931-1954: Colonel His Highness Rais ud-Daula, Sipahdar ul-Mulk, Saramad Rajha-i-Hind, Maharajadhiraja Shri Sawai Maharaj Rana Sir Udaybhanu Singh, Lokendra Bahadur, Diler Jang Jai Deo, Maharaj Rana of Dholpur, GCIE, KCSI, KCVO

Honours

• Delhi Durbar Gold Medal-1911
• Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India (KCSI)-1918
• Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO)-1922
• Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE)-1931
• King George V Silver Jubilee Medal-1935
• King George VI Coronation Medal-1937
• Indian Independence Medal-1947

References

• Dr. Ajay Kumar Agnihotri (1985) : "Gohad ke jaton ka Itihas" (Hindi)
• Dr. Natthan Singh (2004) : "Jat Itihas"
• Jat Samaj, Agra: October–November 2004
• Dr. Natthan Singh (2005): Sujas Prabandh (Gohad ke Shasakon ki Veer gatha – by Poet Nathan), Jat Veer Prakashan Gwalior