At the age of 9, Singh succeeded as Maharaja of Patiala State upon the death of his father, MaharajaRajinder Singh, on 9 November 1900. Rajinder Singh had died due to alcoholism; Singh's mother, Jasmer Kaur, had died some years before 1900 due to tuberculosis.[5][6] A Council of Regency ruled in his name until he took partial powers shortly before his 18th birthday on 1 October 1909, and was invested with full powers by the Viceroy of India, the 4th Earl of Minto, on 3 November 1910.
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.[11][12] During his tenure as Chancellor of the Chamber of Princes, Singh fought for the rights of princely states in various jurisdictional and administrative matters.[12] However, his proposals were rejected by the British Raj and even the larger 21-gun-salute states did not join him in his efforts.[12]
Singh was noted both as a sportsman and a patron of sports. He was captain of the Indian cricket team that visited England in 1911,[15] and played in 27 first-class cricket matches between 1915 and 1937.[16] For the season of 1926/27, he played as member of the Marylebone Cricket Club.[17] 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 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.[6] He was noted for collecting various items, including cars, jewels, medals, paintings, watches, wines, and spending sprees in Europe.[6]
A group photograph of Bhupinder Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala (reg. 1900–1938) with the cricketer Sir Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji Jadeja, known as Ranji, and other guests and servants. Patiala, circa 1910
In 1925, he made the largest ever single order to Cartier to date for jewelry worth ₹1,000 million (equivalent to ₹210 billion, US$2.6 billion or €2.6 billion in 2023).[20] 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.[21] He was also known for an exceptional collection of medals, believed to be the world's largest at the time.[22] Singh also owned a fleet of 44 Rolls-Royce cars.[23] Singh was the first Indian to own a private plane and built an airstrip in Patiala.[24]
Personal life
Singh married ten times and had numerous consorts.[25] From those unions, he sired 88 children, of which 52 survived to adulthood.[25] Singh's health began deteriorating, and he died on 23 March 1938 due to ill health.[26]
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.
Yadhuvansh Kumari (1922 – 2006). She married Govind Singh, the Raja of Maihar.[29][30]
Raghavendra Singh (1923 – unknown). He was married to Sumitra Raje Holkar, the daughter of Maharaja Tukojirao Holkar III of Indore and a member of the House of Holkar.[31]
Kunwar Devinder Singh (1936 – 2019).[34]Manjula Devi of Darkoti, one of Singh's wives, and their daughter, Naginder Kumari Khanna, circa 1950s. Naginder married Vipin Khanna.
Naginder Kumari Khanna (1937 – 2012). She married Vipin Khanna, a businessman.[35]
Amrit Kumari Khanna. She married Ravi Khanna, a former Indian Armyofficer and Vipin Khanna's brother.[36]
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
^"Emerald and diamond choker". Royal Collection. Archived from the original on 21 July 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013. Although, he was married five times, his favorite wife was his third Wife, Maharani Vimal Kaur Sahiba of Ubbewal
^Dass, Diwan Jarmani (26 August 2020). Maharaja. New Delhi: Penguin Random House India. ISBN978-93-5349-783-5. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
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