Raja Sir Daljit Singh (7 December 1882 – 6 November 1946) was a politician born in
Kapurthala
Kapurthala is a city in Punjab state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Kapurthala District. It was the capital of the Kapurthala State, a princely state in British India. The aesthetic mix of the city with its prominent build ...
. He is considered as the first prime minister of Jammu and Kashmir (1917–1921)
before
Indian independence.
Early life and education
Singh was born in 1882 as the grandson of
Maharaja Nihal Singh, who ruled the Sikh Kingdom of Kapurthala from 1836 to 1852.
He received his education at
Aitchison College
Aitchison College ( ur, ایچیسن کالج) is an independent, semi-private boys school for boarding and day students from grade 1–13 in Lahore, Pakistan. It has a tradition of providing an education that uses academics, sports, and co-curri ...
in Lahore, where he had aristocratic classmates, including
King Thibaw Min of Burma.
Scholarly contributions
Singh displayed a deep intellectual inclination, studying philosophy and scriptures. He authored several books in English, including works on Guru Nanak's life and teachings and
Guru Tegh Bahadur
Guru Tegh Bahadur ( Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਤੇਗ਼ ਬਹਾਦਰ (Gurmukhi); ; 1 April 1621 – 11 November 1675) was the ninth of ten Gurus who founded the Sikh religion and the leader of Sikhs from 1665 until his beheading in 1675 ...
's hymns.
He also ventured into writing in "Braj bhasha" on Shri Krishna and published his work in notable publications like "Tri Dhara" and the Krishna Ank of the
Gorakhpur. Additionally, he translated the teachings of the Bhagwad Gita into his native Gurmukhi.
Musical prowess
Apart from his scholarly pursuits, Singh was a talented musician and a skilled
rudra veena
The ''Rudra veena'' ( sa, रुद्र वीणा) (also spelled ''Rudraveena'' or ''Rudra vina'')—also called ''Bīn'' in North India—is a large plucked string instrument used in Hindustani Music, especially dhrupad. It is one of the m ...
player. He was a disciple of Ustad Mir Kallan and his brother, Ustad Mir Rehmat Ali, who were direct descendants of the legendary musician
Tansen
Tansen ( – 26 April 1589), also referred to and commonly known as Sangeet Samrat () , was a Hindustani classical musician. Born in a Hindu Gaur Brahmin family, he learnt and perfected his art in the northwest region of modern Madhya Pra ...
. Despite being aristocrats, they lived with him and practiced music rigorously. He composed intricate musical compositions (gats) that continue to be played to this day. His home in
Shimla
Shimla (; ; also known as Simla, List of renamed Indian cities and states#Himachal Pradesh, the official name until 1972) is the capital and the largest city of the States and union territories of India, northern Indian state of Himachal Prade ...
was a hub for musicians and private concerts.
Career
Although he preferred a private life, Singh was drawn into public service due to various circumstances. He served as a member of the
Imperial Legislative Council
The Imperial Legislative Council (ILC) was the legislature of the British Raj from 1861 to 1947. It was established under the Charter Act of 1853 by providing for the addition of 6 additional members to the Governor General Council for legislativ ...
, the
Council of State
A Council of State is a governmental body in a country, or a subdivision of a country, with a function that varies by jurisdiction. It may be the formal name for the cabinet or it may refer to a non-executive advisory body associated with a head o ...
, and the Third Council of the Lieutenant Governor of the Punjab during the early 20th century. He also held the position of Prime Minister of
Jammu and Kashmir State
Jammu and Kashmir was a region formerly administered by India as a state from 1952 to 2019, constituting the southern and southeastern portion of the larger Kashmir region, which has been the subject of a dispute between India, Pakistan an ...
for a brief period.
His contributions extended to cultural endeavors as he played a pivotal role in fundraising for the construction of the Indian Memorial Gateway at the
Royal Pavilion
The Royal Pavilion, and surrounding gardens, also known as the Brighton Pavilion, is a Grade I listed former royal residence located in Brighton, England. Beginning in 1787, it was built in three stages as a seaside retreat for George IV of t ...
in Brighton, United Kingdom, securing donations from various Indian Maharajas.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Daljit
1882 births
1946 deaths
Aitchison College alumni
20th-century Indian politicians