Bhawani Singh of Jaipur
Encyclopedia
Brigadier
Sawai Bhawani Singh Bahadur, MVC
(22 October 1931–17 April 2011) was the Maharaja
of Jaipur
and head of the Kachwaha
clan of Rajputs. He died at age 79 due to multi-organ failure. The title technically ended in 1971 when royal entitlements were abolished along with privy purses
through a constitutional
amendment. However, the erstwhile Maharaja was considered a political, cultural, and religious icon in modern Rajasthan
, and he was sometimes referred to in the media as His Highness, The Maharaja of Jaipur.
, Sawai was educated at The Doon School
, Dehradun
, and later Harrow School
. As the first male heir born to a reigning Maharaja of Jaipur for generations (all others, including his father, who was originally a minor noble, were adopted), his birth was a celebrated event in Jaipur
, where the fountains of the royal palaces flowed with champagne in his honor giving him the nickname Bubbles.
, and received numerous honors, including a promotion to the Presidential Bodyguard
in 1954, and the post of Adjutant
at Indian Military Academy
, Dehradun. In 1968, Sawai was second-in-command of the 10th Parachute Regiment (Commando)
, one of the two elite Special Forces
battalions, the other being the 9 para commando regiment, in India at the time, and became the Commanding Officer (CO) later in 1968.
In the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
, Sawai led his troops deep inside Pakistani territory in the Sindh
region of Pakistan, attacking and destroying many Pakistani posts. For this, he was awarded India's second-highest gallantry award, the Mahavir Chakra. He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier
in 1974. In his retirement, he also served as Indian High Commissioner
to Brunei
from 1994-1997 http://www.msbsschool.com/our_patrons.htmlhttp://msmsmuseum.com/frmGallery.aspx?ID=4&cms=29.
in 1970 following the death of his father, and remained the official Maharaja until the abolition of the privy purse and royal entitlements by Indira Gandhi
, although he remains generally honored like most other erstwhile rulers.
He married Princess Padmini Devi of Sirmur
on 10 March 1966 in a ceremony held at Delhi. She was the daughter of his father's polo-playing friend HH
Maharaja Rajendra Prakash by his wife Maharani Indira Devi. The royal couple have one daughter, Princess Diya Kumari (b. 30 January 1971).
In 1997, Princess Diya married Narendra Singh Rajawat (called Maharaj Shri Narendra Singh Ji), a commoner Rajput
and very distant cousin who had been a member of the household staff of the Maharaja of Jaipur.http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/nov/23rajas.htmhttp://www.thehindujobs.com/thehindu/mag/2002/10/20/stories/2002102000230800.htm He is a son of Thakur Buddha Singh of Kotda village in Tonk district; the father had earlier served as a guard at the city palace.http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/nov/23rajas.htm They have three children:
, Raj Mahal palace, or other former royal residences. Sawai conducted certain ceremonies and customs from the traditional seat of royal power, the sprawling City Palace. He was also involved in local politics, as was his late stepmother, Gayatri Devi
.
, then Chief Minister of Rajasthan announced three days of state mourning. His body was flown to Jaipur and kept at the City Palace
for people to pay their last respect before being cremated. He was cremated on April 18, 2011 at Gaitore Ki Chatriya, the royal crematorium in Jaipur with full state honours.
elections in the year 1989 for the Indian National Congress
party but lost to the Bharatiya Janata Party
leader Girdhari Lal Bhargav. He then retired from active politics and devoted his time to his family and the protection and continuation of Jaipur's traditional arts and heritage.
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
Sawai Bhawani Singh Bahadur, MVC
Maha Vir Chakra
The Maha Vir Chakra is the second highest military decoration in India and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It may be awarded posthumously. Literally Maha Veer means extraordinarily brave.-Appearance:The medal is made...
(22 October 1931–17 April 2011) was the Maharaja
Maharaja
Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...
of Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
and head of the Kachwaha
Kachwaha
Kachwaha are a Suryavanshi Kshatriya clan who ruled a number of kingdoms and princely states in India such as Alwar, Maihar, Talcher, while the largest kingdom was Jaipur which was founded by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in 1727...
clan of Rajputs. He died at age 79 due to multi-organ failure. The title technically ended in 1971 when royal entitlements were abolished along with privy purses
Privy Purse in India
In India, the Privy Purse was a payment made to the royal families of erstwhile princely states as part of their agreements to first integrate with India in 1947, and later to merge their states in 1949 whereby they lost all ruling rights...
through a constitutional
Constitution of India
The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles, establishes the structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens...
amendment. However, the erstwhile Maharaja was considered a political, cultural, and religious icon in modern Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, and he was sometimes referred to in the media as His Highness, The Maharaja of Jaipur.
Early life
Born to Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II and his first wife, Marudhar Kanwar of JodhpurJodhpur
Jodhpur , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital, Jaipur and from the city of Ajmer. It was formerly the seat of a princely state of the same name, the capital of the kingdom known as Marwar...
, Sawai was educated at The Doon School
The Doon School
The Doon School is an independent school located in Dehradun in the state of Uttarakhand in India. Established in 1935, it was founded by Satish Ranjan Das. Its first Headmaster was Arthur E...
, Dehradun
Dehradun
- Geography :The Dehradun district has various types of physical geography from Himalayan mountains to Plains. Raiwala is the lowest point at 315 meters above sea level, and the highest points are within the Tiuni hills, rising to 3700 m above sea level...
, and later Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
. As the first male heir born to a reigning Maharaja of Jaipur for generations (all others, including his father, who was originally a minor noble, were adopted), his birth was a celebrated event in Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
, where the fountains of the royal palaces flowed with champagne in his honor giving him the nickname Bubbles.
Military career
As a young man, Crown Prince Bhawani Singh served in the Indian ArmyIndian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
, and received numerous honors, including a promotion to the Presidential Bodyguard
President's Bodyguard (India)
The President's Bodyguard is an elite household cavalry regiment of the Indian Army. It is senior-most in the order of precedence of the units of the Indian Army. The primary role of the President's Bodyguard is to escort and protect the President of India which is why the regiment is based in the...
in 1954, and the post of Adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
at Indian Military Academy
Indian Military Academy
The Indian Military Academy, Dehradun is the officer training school of the Indian Army. IMA was established in 1932.-Demands for an Indian military training academy:...
, Dehradun. In 1968, Sawai was second-in-command of the 10th Parachute Regiment (Commando)
Para Commandos
The Para Commandos are a special forces unit of the Indian Army. Formed in 1966, the Para Commandos are the largest and most important part of the Special Forces of India...
, one of the two elite Special Forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
battalions, the other being the 9 para commando regiment, in India at the time, and became the Commanding Officer (CO) later in 1968.
In the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. Indian, Bangladeshi and international sources consider the beginning of the war to be Operation Chengiz Khan, Pakistan's December 3, 1971 pre-emptive strike on 11 Indian airbases...
, Sawai led his troops deep inside Pakistani territory in the Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
region of Pakistan, attacking and destroying many Pakistani posts. For this, he was awarded India's second-highest gallantry award, the Mahavir Chakra. He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
in 1974. In his retirement, he also served as Indian High Commissioner
High Commissioner
High Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking, special executive positions held by a commission of appointment.The English term is also used to render various equivalent titles in other languages.-Bilateral diplomacy:...
to Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
from 1994-1997 http://www.msbsschool.com/our_patrons.htmlhttp://msmsmuseum.com/frmGallery.aspx?ID=4&cms=29.
Royal life
Sawai Bhawani Singh ascended the throne of JaipurJaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
in 1970 following the death of his father, and remained the official Maharaja until the abolition of the privy purse and royal entitlements by Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
, although he remains generally honored like most other erstwhile rulers.
He married Princess Padmini Devi of Sirmur
Sirmur
Sirmur was an independent kingdom in India, founded in 1616. It became a part of Greater Nepal, before becoming a princely state in British India, located in the region that is now the Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh. The state was also known as Nahan, after its main city, Nahan...
on 10 March 1966 in a ceremony held at Delhi. She was the daughter of his father's polo-playing friend HH
HH
- Medicine :* hh antigen system, a rare blood group* Hh, a signalling molecule in Drosophila named for the Hedgehog signaling pathway* Hodgkin–Huxley model- Science and Technology :* Hahnium, a disputed abbreviation for the chemical element name...
Maharaja Rajendra Prakash by his wife Maharani Indira Devi. The royal couple have one daughter, Princess Diya Kumari (b. 30 January 1971).
In 1997, Princess Diya married Narendra Singh Rajawat (called Maharaj Shri Narendra Singh Ji), a commoner Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
and very distant cousin who had been a member of the household staff of the Maharaja of Jaipur.http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/nov/23rajas.htmhttp://www.thehindujobs.com/thehindu/mag/2002/10/20/stories/2002102000230800.htm He is a son of Thakur Buddha Singh of Kotda village in Tonk district; the father had earlier served as a guard at the city palace.http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/nov/23rajas.htm They have three children:
- Kumar Padmanabh Singh (b. 1999) aged three in 2002,http://www.thehindujobs.com/thehindu/mag/2002/10/20/stories/2002102000230800.htm called Maharaj Kumar Padmanabh Singh who has been adopted by his maternal grandparents in a magnificent ceremony on 22 November 2002, but a controversial move in the history of the dynasty.KumarPadmanabh Singh was corronated as maharaja of jaipur on 28 April 2011 in a magnificent ceremony.
- Laksh Raj Singh, called Rajkumar Laksh Raj Singh (b. 20___)
- a daughter Gorvi Devi (b. 2000) called Rajkumari Gauravi Kumari .
Other
In the same vein as his father, the first hotelier prince in India, Sawai ran many palaces as hotels, including the Rambagh PalaceRambagh Palace
The Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, Rajasthan is the former residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur and now a luxury Taj Palace Hotel, located outside of the walls of the city of Jaipur on Bhawani Singh Road...
, Raj Mahal palace, or other former royal residences. Sawai conducted certain ceremonies and customs from the traditional seat of royal power, the sprawling City Palace. He was also involved in local politics, as was his late stepmother, Gayatri Devi
Gayatri Devi
Gayatri Devi , often styled as Maharani Gayatri Devi, Rajmata of Jaipur, was born as Princess Gayatri Devi of Cooch Behar...
.
Death
Bhawani Singh, was admitted to a private hospital in Gurgaon, Haryana on March 29 and died on April 17, 2011 following multi-organ failure. Ashok GehlotAshok Gehlot
Ashok Gehlot is the 21st & 23rd Chief Minister of the state of Rajasthan, India.-Personal:Shri Ashok Gehlot, son of Late Shri Laxman Singh Gehlot, was born on 3 May 1951 in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. A Science and Law Graduate, Shri Gehlot holds an M.A. in Economics. Married to Smt. Sunita Gehlot on 27...
, then Chief Minister of Rajasthan announced three days of state mourning. His body was flown to Jaipur and kept at the City Palace
City Palace, Jaipur
City Palace, Jaipur, which includes the Chandra Mahal and Mubarak Mahal palaces and other buildings, is a palace complex in Jaipur city, the capital of the Rajasthan state, India. It was the seat of the Maharaja of Jaipur, the head of the Kachwaha Rajput clan. The Chandra Mahal palace now houses a...
for people to pay their last respect before being cremated. He was cremated on April 18, 2011 at Gaitore Ki Chatriya, the royal crematorium in Jaipur with full state honours.
Political career
Following his retirement from the army Sawai Bhawani Singh contested the Lok SabhaLok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
elections in the year 1989 for the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
party but lost to the Bharatiya Janata Party
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
leader Girdhari Lal Bhargav. He then retired from active politics and devoted his time to his family and the protection and continuation of Jaipur's traditional arts and heritage.