Gaj Singh (born 13 January 1948), referred to as Bapji, is an Indian politician who served as a member of the Indian parliament and as Indian High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago. He became the titular

Maharaja of Jodhpur Kingdom of Marwar, also known as the Jodhpur State under the British, was a kingdom in the Marwar region from 1226 to 1818 and a princely state under British rule from 1818 to 1947. It was established in Pali by Rao Siha, possibly a m ...

in 1952.

Early years and accession

Singh was born into a royal Rajput family. He is the son of Maharaja Hanwant Singh of Jodhpur and his first wife, Maharani Krishna Kumari of Dhrangadhra. He succeeded to the titles and dignities of his father when only four years of age, in 1952, when his father died suddenly in a plane crash. He was enthroned shortly afterwards. The infant and his siblings were raised by their mother, Rajmata Krishna Kumari. At the age of eight, Gaj Singh was sent first to Cothill House, a

prep school Preparatory school or prep school may refer to: Schools *Preparatory school (United Kingdom), an independent school preparing children aged 8–13 for entry into fee-charging independent schools, usually public schools *College-preparatory school, ...

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...

, England, and then to Eton College and

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...

, where he obtained a degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. Singh's full title as Maharaja was His Highness Raj Rajeshwar Saramad-i-Raja-i-Hind Maharajadhiraja Maharaja Shri Gaj Singhji II Sahib Bahadur, Maharaja of Marwar.

Family

In 1970, Gaj Singh returned to Jodhpur to take up his duties as

. In 1973, he married Hemalata Rajye, daughter of the Raja of

Poonch Poonch, sometimes also spelt Punchh, may refer to: * Historical Poonch District, a district in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir in British India, split in 1947 between: ** Poonch district, India ** Poonch Division, in Azad Kashmir, Pakistan, ...

, a major feudatory state of Kashmir State and his wife Nalini Rajya Lakshmi Devi, a daughter of King Tribhuvan of Nepal and Queen

Ishwari Rajya Lakshmi Devi Ishwari Rajya Lakshmi Devi Shah (September 1907 – 27 June 1983) was the Queen consort and the second wife of Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah, King of the Kingdom of Nepal. She was the mother of Prince Basundhara Bir Bikram Shah and Princess Nalini ...

. They are the parents of two children, being: #A daughter,

Shivranjani Rajye Shivranjani Rajye is a princess of the royal family of Jodhpur State, the daughter of Former Maharajah Gaj Singh and Hemlata Rajye. She has one younger brother, Shivraj Singh of Jodhpur. She is a businesswoman and owns the Jodhpur Girls Polo t ...

(born 22 August 1974), and #A son,

Shivraj Singh Shivraj Singh Chouhan (born 5 March 1959), is an Indian politician and member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He is the 17th and current Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, having been elected to the same position 3 times in the past, and a Member ...

(born 30 September 1975).

Derecognition

In 1971, the constitution of India was amended. On 5 November 1971, the Maharaja and other princes were deprived of their privy purses, the government annuities that had been guaranteed to them both in the constitution and in the covenants of accession whereby their states were merged with the Dominion of India in the 1940s, with the enactment of the amendment. The same amendment also deprived them of other privileges, such as diplomatic immunity. In the Constitution of India promulgated in 1971, the Government of India abolished all official symbols of princely India, including titles, privileges, and remuneration ( privy purses).

Career

Later, Gaj Singh served as Indian High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago. He also served a term in the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of the Indian Parliament. On 20 July 1992, he founded a day-cum-residential girls' school named Rajmata Krishna Kumari Girls' Public School, named after his mother.

Honours and awards

Servare et Manere: * Memorial_Medal_of_Tree_of_Peace_ribbon

Memorial Medal of Tree of Peace in a Special class with rubies. International peace award granted by a Slovak non-governmental organization (2022).

References

External links

Maharaja of Jodhpur (official website)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Gaj, Maharaja of Jodhpur 1948 births Living people High Commissioners of India to Trinidad and Tobago Rajya Sabha members from Rajasthan People from Jodhpur People educated at Cothill House People educated at Eton College Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Indian royalty