Major General Janak Singh (surname

Katoch Katoch is a Chandravanshi Rajput clan. Their traditional area of residence was in the Trigarta Kingdom, based at Jalandhar and at Kangra Fort in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. They descent from the Trigarta dynasty mentioned in the Mahabha ...

) CIE,

OBI #REDIRECT Obi {{redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous title ...

, (7 August 1872 – 15 March 1972) was an officer of the

Jammu and Kashmir State Forces Jammu is the winter capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is the headquarters and the largest city in Jammu district of the union territory. Lying on the banks of the river Tawi, the city of Jammu, with an area of , ...

in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. After retirement, he briefly served as the prime minister of the state during a crucial period in 1947, which was evidently a temporary appointment while the Maharaja looked for a more permanent candidate. Major General Janak Singh Katoch, CIE, OBI

Major General Janak Singh Katoch, CIE, OBI

Biography

Janak Singh was from the village of Khaira in the

Kangra district Kangra is the most populous district of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Dharamshala is the administrative headquarters of the district. History Kangra is known for having the oldest serving Royal Dynasty in the world, the Katoch. In 175 ...

, in the present-day state of

Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several peaks ...

in India.

Military career

Political career

Singh was army minister in the government of

Maharaja Mahārāja (; also spelled Maharajah, Maharaj) is a Sanskrit title for a "great ruler", "great king" or " high king". A few ruled states informally called empires, including ruler raja Sri Gupta, founder of the ancient Indian Gupta Empire, a ...

Hari Singh Maharaja Sir Hari Singh (September 1895 – 26 April 1961) was the last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. Hari Singh was the son of Amar Singh and Bhotiali Chib. In 1923, following his uncle's death, Singh became ...

of Jammu and Kashmir during 1929–1931. He also served as the revenue minister. On 11 August 1947 he was brought out of retirement to be the prime minister at a turbulent time on the eve of the independence of India and Pakistan. This is deemed to be a temporary appointment while the Maharaja searched for a more permanent replacement. He steered the

Standstill Agreement The term standstill agreement refers to various forms of agreement which businesses may enter into in order to delay action which might otherwise take place. A standstill agreement may be used as a form of defence to a hostile takeover, when a t ...

that Kashmir wanted to sign with India and Pakistan. The agreement was not signed by India, and before further deliberations were done Pakistan-assisted raiders had marched into Kashmir state. Janak Singh was replaced by Mehr Chand Mahajan on 15 October 1947. On 13 September 1947 Maharaja Hari Singh requested the loan of the services of Lt. Col.

Kashmir Singh Katoch Lieutenant General Kashmir Singh Katoch, MC (15 July 1915 – 25 April 2007) was an Indian Army General and military adviser to the Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu and Kashmir, officiating as the Chief of Staff of the State Forces during the Indo ...

(son of Janak Singh) to act as the military adviser to the Maharaja. This request was granted by the Indian government.

Honours

Singh had won a Military Cross with a unit of the Frontier Force Rifles during World War II in action in Italy. He ultimately retired as a Lt. General in the Indian Army. The other two sons also served in the Indian Army, one in the 5 Gorkha Rifles, Brigadier Devendra Singh Katoch, AVSM, and the youngest, Lt. Colonel Rajendra Singh Katoch, followed his father into the J&K State forces, where he was commissioned into the J&K Bodyguard Cavalry.

Notes

References

Bibliography

* * * ** {{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Janak 1872 births 1972 deaths Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir (princely state) Companions of the Order of the Indian Empire People from Kangra district People of the 1947 Kashmir conflict