Ranbir Singh I of Kashmir

Ranbir Singh (August 1830 – 12 September 1885) was Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir belonging to the Dogra dynasty from 1856 until his death in 1885.

Ranbir Singh was the third son of Gulab Singh, the founder of the Jammu and Kashmir state. Ranbir Singh ascended the throne in 1856 after Gulab Singh's abdication due to his poor health. Unlike European women and children, Indian mutineers were not allowed to take refuge in his state. He also sent his troops to help the British to besiege Delhi. He was subsequently rewarded for his behaviour during the mutiny. He went on to annex Gilgit which had previously witnessed a rebellion against the state. The princely states of Hunza and Nagar started paying tributes to Jammu and Kashmir during his reign. He also established a modern judicial system. Civil and criminal laws were compiled into the Ranbir Penal Code during his reign. Ranbir Singh was a scholar of Sanskrit and Persian languages and had many books translated.

Early life

Singh was born at Ramgarh, Jammu and Kashmir in August 1830. He was the third son of Maharaja Gulab Singh. His mother Rakwal Maharani was the first wife of Gulab Singh. Ranbir Singh was adopted by Raja Suchet Singh, his childless uncle,

Reforms Ranbir Singh established a modern judicial system. Civil and criminal laws were written and consolidated into the Ranbir Penal Code which were followed in the Indian part of Jammu and Kashmir. Now it has been removed as the Parliament of India has passed the bill to scrap provisions of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution on 5 August 2019. The judicial system was handed over to the executive officers. Separate prisons were built for political prisoners. Ranbir Singh organized two durbars in a day in which he heard petitions. Grammar, philosophy, poetry, algebra, Euclidean geometry and Vedas were taught in it.

Although Ranbir Singh received semi-formal education, he was interested in spreading education amongst the masses. He donated to University of the Punjab at the time of its establishment in 1882. In return he was made the first fellow of the university. Ranbir Singh frequently met scholars of various subjects and discussed the subjects with them.

Family In June 1843, Ranbir Singh married Subh Devi Sahiba, the daughter of the raja of Siba State. In October 1848, he married a princess of Bilaspur state. In July 1871, he married for a third time to Charak Maharani Krishna Devi. After 1880, he married twice.

Singh had six children including four sons:

Name Mother Born Died Children Pratap Singh Subh Devi Sahiba 18 July 1848 23 September 1925 One son, one daughter Sir Ram Singh Kahluriya Maharani 31 May 1861 22 June 1899 Bahawal Singh, Narayan Singh, one daughter Sir Amar Singh Subh Devi Sahiba 14 January 1864 26 March 1909 Hari Singh Lakshman Singh Krishna Devi 1870 September 1875 None