Bhupinder Singh of Patiala

Sir Bhupinder Singh (12 October 1891 – 23 March 1938) was the Maharaja of Patiala and a cricket player. Singh's reign as Maharaja of the princely state of Patiala, in British India, lasted from 1900 to 1938. He was a member of the Phulkian dynasty. During his reign, Singh was most noted for his extravagance, contributions to sports, and for being an ally to the British Raj. Many of Singh's children married notable individuals and through his children, Singh has many notable descendants. Singh was born into the Jat Sikh Phulkian dynasty and Sidhu clan. He was educated at Aitchison College in Lahore. Singh was sent to the princely state of Dholpur, supposedly because of threats to his life due to intrigues in the Patiala court. He returned to Patiala in the beginning of 1900, only months before his father's death. He had a unique monorail system built in Patiala, known as Patiala State Monorail Trainways. Singh founded the State Bank of Patiala in 1917. Although Patiala was a 17-gun salute state, Singh himself received a personal 19-gun salute. Singh was a member of Freemasonry and in 1916, he consecrated a Masonic lodge in Patiala.

He represented India at the League of Nations, was Chancellor of the Chamber of Princes for 10 years between 1926 and 1938, and was a representative at the Round Table Conference. During his tenure as Chancellor of the Chamber of Princes, Singh fought for the rights of princely states in various jurisdictional and administrative matters. He was awarded 43 medals during the First World War. and played in 27 first-class cricket matches between 1915 and 1937. For the season of 1926/27, he played as member of the Marylebone Cricket Club. He was selected as the captain of India on its first Test tour of England in 1932, but dropped out for reasons of health two weeks before departure and Natwarsinhji Bhavsinhji, the Maharaja of Porbandar, took over.

Singh had a key role in the founding of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the national sports administration body for cricket in India, and he donated the Ranji Trophy in honour of Maharaja Ranjitsinhji of Nawanagar. Singh's cricket and polo teams, Patiala XI and Patiala Tigers, were among the best in India.

Extravagance Singh is largely noted and remembered for his extravagance. During his life, Singh developed a reputation for being a generous host, throwing lavish parties, and entertaining doctors, artists and people of repute from around the world. He was noted for collecting various items, including cars, jewels, medals, paintings, watches, wines, and spending sprees in Europe. One of his wives, Maharani Bakhtawar Kaur, presented Queen Mary of the United Kingdom with a necklace on behalf of the Ladies of India during the Delhi Durbar of 1911. He was also known for an exceptional collection of medals, believed to be the world's largest at the time. Singh also owned a fleet of 44 Rolls-Royce cars. He was the first Indian to own a private plane and built an airstrip in Patiala. He also owned properties in Mumbai and Juhu.

Personal life and family Singh married ten times and had a harem of 350 concubines. He fathered 88 children, 52 of whom survived to adulthood. Maharani Vimala Kaur Sahiba (original name Dhan Kaur) of Ubbewal (1906–1992). Married Maharaja Bhupinder Singh in 1920, OBI. Maharani Yashoda Devi. Maharani Manjula Devi of Darkoti. 3 other wives who were members of the royal family of Darkoti.

Children Manjula Devi of Darkoti, one of Singh's wives, and their daughter, Naginder Kumari Khanna, circa 1950s. Naginder married Vipin Khanna. Darkoti was a Kachhwaha Rajput ruled princely state, founded in the 11th century, whose rulers were directly descended from the ruling house of the Kingdom of Amber.

Singh's children included:

Yadavindra Singh (1914 – 1974). Yadvindra became the Maharaja on 23 March 1938. He was the last Maharaja of Patiala, agreeing to the incorporation of Patiala State into the newly independent India on 5 May 1948. Yadvindra later became a sports administrator and diplomat, serving in various roles, including as the Indian delegate to the United Nations General Assembly, and as Indian Ambassador to Italy and later, to the Netherlands. His wife, Mehtab Kaur, was a politician who served as a Member of Parliament in both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha. Bhalindra Singh (1919 – 1992). He was a sports administrator and politician. His positions included being a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and President of the Asian Games Federation and the Indian Olympic Association. He also served as the Member of the Legislative Assembly from the Patiala Assembly constituency. He married Pushpa Kumari, the daughter of the ruler of Sahanpur. Yadhuvansh Kumari (1922 – 2006). She married Govind Singh, the son of Raja Brijnath Singh of Maihar. Raghavendra Singh (1923 – unknown). He was married to Sumitra Raje Holkar, the daughter of Maharaja Tukojirao Holkar III of Indore and the sister of Maharaja Yashwant Rao Holkar II. Mrigendra Singh (1929 – 2014). He was a scholar and a musician. Kailash Kumari Devi (1934 – 2004). She married Rajendra Narayan Singh Deo, former Chief Minister of Odisha. Kunwar Devinder Singh (1936 – 2019). He married Amarjit Kaur, a former member of the Rajya Sabha, former Chairperson of the Central Social Welfare Board under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, and the daughter of Raghbir Singh, who served as Chief Minister of the former state of PEPSU. Naginder Kumari Khanna (1937 – 2012). She married Vipin Khanna, a businessman and financier who was noted for his business interests in the arms industry. Amrit Kumari Khanna. She married Ravi Khanna, a former Indian Army officer and Vipin Khanna's brother. Shailendra Kumari. She married Himmat Singh, the younger son Maharaja Umaid Singh of Jodhpur and a member of the Rathore dynasty. Bhavenesh Kumari (d. 2023). She was a lawyer and a Supreme Court of India advocate. Kanwar Kumar Indira Singh. He owned tea estates and real estate. Danesh Kumari. She married Kumar Aman Singh, a member of the Bijawar royal family. Brijindra Singh. He was a lieutenant colonel in the Indian Army. Kamlesh Kumari. She married Jasbir Singh, a businessman with business interests in real estate and transport.

Other relatives Singh's younger brother was Birendra Singh. Birendra Singh's daughter and Singh's niece, Naresh Inder Kumari, married Hardev Singh Chhina, an Indian Administrative Service officer who served as the Chief Secretary of Punjab.

Notable descendants

Through his children, Singh has many notable descendants, including: Amarinder Singh Ananga Udaya Singh Deo Arvind Khanna Jagat Singh Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo Raj Raj Singh Deo Randhir Singh Rajeshwari Kumari Raninder Singh

Death Singh's health began deteriorating, and he died on 23 March 1938 due to ill health. To mark Singh's death, a state-wide hartal for five days was announced, during which all offices, schools, colleges, and other public institutions were to remain closed, and, throughout the period of mourning, flags at all forts and public buildings in the state were to be hoisted at half-mast.

Titles 1891–1900: Sri Yuvaraja Sahib Bhupinder Singhji 1900–1911: His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala 1911–1914: 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 Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Maharaja of Patiala, GCIE 1914–1918: 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 Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Maharaja of Patiala, GCIE 1918–1921: 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 Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Maharaja of Patiala, GCIE, GBE 1921–1922: 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 Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Maharaja of Patiala, GCSI, GCIE, GBE 1922–1931: 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 Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Maharaja of Patiala, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, GBE 1931–1935: 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 Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Maharaja of Patiala, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, GBE 1935–1938: 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 Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Maharaja of Patiala, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, GBE, GCSG

Honours

(ribbon bar, as it would look today)

British Delhi Durbar Gold Medal – 1903 Delhi Durbar Gold Medal – 1911 King George V Coronation Medal – 1911 Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE) – 1911 1914 Star British War Medal – 1918 Victory Medal – 1918 Mentioned in dispatches – 1919 Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) – 1918 Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India (GCSI) – for war services, New Year Honours 1921 Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) – 1922 King George V Silver Jubilee Medal – 1935 King George VI Coronation Medal – 1937

Foreign Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Italy – 1918 Grand Cordon of the Order of the Nile of Egypt – 1918 Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold of Belgium – 1918 Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Romania – 1922 Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer of Greece – 1926 Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III of Spain – 1928 Grand Cross of the Order of the White Lion of Czechoslovakia – 1930 Grand Cross of the Legion d'Honneur of France – 1930 (Grand Officer – 1918) Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus of Italy – 1935 Grand Cross of the Order of St Gregory the Great of the Vatican – 1935 Grand Cross of the Order of Dannebrog of Denmark

Other A Unani College, namely 'Bhupinder Tibbi College' was after his name at Patiala The Maharaja Bhupinder Singh Punjab Sports University was named after him in recognition of his contribution to the promotion of sports.