Sir Ram Singh KCIE (Hindi: राम सिंह; Urdu: رام سنگھ; 26 May 1883 – 29 March 1911) was the Maharaj-Rana of Dholpur from 1901 until his death in 1911.

Ram Singh
Sawai Maharaj-Rana
Maharaj-Rana of Dholpur
Reign1901-1911
Coronation20 July 1901
Investiture2 March 1905
PredecessorNihal Singh
SuccessorUdai Bhan Singh
Born(1883-05-26)26 May 1883
Died29 March 1911(1911-03-29) (aged 27)
SpouseRipudaman Devi
HouseBamraulia Dynasty
FatherNihal Singh
MotherHarbans Kaur
ReligionHinduism
Education
Military career
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchBritish Army
RankCaptain

Early life and education edit

He was born on 26 May 1883 to Nihal Singh.[1][2][3] He received his early education under K. Deighton, then Principal of the Agra College, and later under Herbert Cunningham Clogstoun, who subsequently became Superintendent of the Dholpur State.[4][5][3][6][7] He received his education at Mayo College, Ajmer, and later underwent training at the Imperial Cadet Corps in Dehradun.[8][1][3]

Family edit

In June 1905, he married Ripudaman Devi, the daughter of Sir Hira Singh, the Maharaja of Nabha.[9][10][11][12][13]

Reign edit

He succeeded his father, Nihal Singh, as the Maharaj-Rana of Dholpur, following his death on 20 July 1901.[1] He succeeded his father as minor.[9] Initially, the administration of the state was carried out by the Mr. Clogstoun, Superintendent of the Dholpur State, assisted by selected officials, under the direction of the Political Agent.[14][3] He was invested with full ruling powers on 2 March 1905.[9][14][15][16] He attended the Delhi Durbar of 1903 and, along with other Chiefs, formed an escort to the Viceroy and Governor-General of India.[3][17]

In 1905, the Secretary of State sanctioned the construction of a light railway Dholpur–Sarmathura Railway, originally named Dholpur-Bari, with a gauge of 2 ft 6 in.[18][14] It was opened on 24 February 1908.[19]

He left the state debt-free, with stable finances, and its government departments well-organized.[3]

Freemason edit

He was initiated as a Freemason at Dholpur on the night of 22 December 1910, when Colonel Foreman and some other Freemasons were invited.[20]

Death edit

He had been in poor health since July 1910 but accompanied his younger brother, Udai Bhan Singh, on 19 October 1910, to Mumbai to receive Shahzada Basdev Singh of Pandriganeshpur, a grandson of Maharaja Sher Singh, who was returning from England.[21][20] After a week's stay in Mumbai, he returned to Dholpur on 26 October 1910.[22][23][24][20] On 8 November 1910, he traveled to Agra by motor to bid farewell to Lord Minto during his stay there.[20] On 7 January 1911, he went to Talab-e-Shahi to shoot ducks and returned on 10 January 1911.[20] His condition became serious on 24 March 1911.[20] Despite receiving medical treatment, he passed away on the night of 29 March 1911, at 11:15 p.m. without leaving a son and was succeeded by his younger brother, Udai Bhan Singh.[20][25][1]

Titles, styles, honours & military ranks edit

Titles and styles edit

Captain His Highness Rais-ud-Daula Sipahdar-ul-Mulk Saramad-i-Rajah-i-Hind Maharajadhiraj Sri Sawai Maharaj-Rana Sir Ram Singh Lokendra Bahadur Diler Jang Jai Deo, Maharaj-Rana of Dholpur, KCIE.[9]

Honours edit

Military ranks edit

He held the honorary rank of Captain in the British Army.[25][1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f Memoranda on Native States in India, Together with a List of Independent Ruling Chiefs, Chiefs of Frontier States, and Other Notables with Their Proper Forms of Address. Superintendent Government Print., India. 1911.
  2. ^ Mauji, Purushottama Viṣrama (1911). Imperial Durbar Album. Lakshmi Arts, Bombay.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g ACL-ARCH 00269 Indian Princes And The Crown.
  4. ^ Ajmer-Merwara (India) (1903). Report on the Administration of Ajmer-Merwara.
  5. ^ Government Gazette: The United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. 1905.
  6. ^ Krafft, Hugues (1885). Souvenirs de notre tour du monde (in French). Hachette et cie.
  7. ^ Kempson, M. (1862). Report on the Progress of Education, in the North Western Provinces, For the Year 1861-62.
  8. ^ Commons, Great Britain Parliament House of (1913). Parliamentary Papers. H.M. Stationery Office.
  9. ^ a b c d Not Available (1911). Whos Who In India Vol 1.
  10. ^ Singh, Bhagat (1912). Annual Report On The Administration Of The Dholpur State For The Year Ending 30 September 1912.
  11. ^ Punjab (India) (1905). Report on the Administration of the Punjab and Its Dependencies.
  12. ^ Asiatic Review. East & West. 1905.
  13. ^ Jhala, Angma Dey (6 October 2015). Royal Patronage, Power and Aesthetics in Princely India. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-31657-2.
  14. ^ a b c Dept, India Foreign and Political (1909). A Collection of Treaties, Engagements and Sanads, Relating to India and Neighbouring Countries. Superintendent Government Printing, India.
  15. ^ Provincial Series: Central Provinces. Superintendent of Gevernment Printing. 1908.
  16. ^ Imperial Gazetteer of India ... Clarendon Press. 1908.
  17. ^ Coronation Durbar, Delhi, 1903. Vest and Company art printers. 1903.
  18. ^ Committee, Commonwealth Shipping (1910). Report. H.M. Stationery Office.
  19. ^ Commons, Great Britain Parliament House of (1908). Parliamentary Papers: 1850-1908. H.M. Stationery Office.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g Singh, Bhagat (1912). Annual Report On The Administration Of The Dholpur State For The Year Ending 30 September 1909.
  21. ^ Oudh (India); Benett, W. C. (William Charles) (1877). Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... Cornell University Library. Lucknow : Printed at the Oudh Government Press.
  22. ^ Lethbridge, Sir Roper (1893). The Golden Book of India: A Genealogical and Biographical Dictionary of the Ruling Princes, Chiefs, Nobles, and Other Personages, Titled Or Decorated, of the Indian Empire. Macmillan.
  23. ^ Government Gazette: North-Western Provinces and Oudh. 1894.
  24. ^ Oudh (India), United Provinces of Agra and (1924). District Gazetteers of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. [A. Vol.]: Rai Bareli. Government Press.
  25. ^ a b c Imperial coronation durbar 1911. The Imperial Publishing, Lahore. 1911.
  26. ^ McCreery, Christopher (19 May 2012). Commemorative Medals of the Queen's Reign in Canada, 1952-2012. Dundurn. ISBN 978-1-4597-0756-6.
  27. ^ "ODM of the United Kingdom: King Edward VII's Durbar 1903". www.medals.org.uk. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
Ram Singh of Dholpur
Born: 26 May 1883 Died: 29 March 1911
Regnal titles
Preceded by Maharaj Rana of Dholpur
1901-1911
Succeeded by