Raghunath Singh of Pratapgarh
| Raghunath Singh | |
|---|---|
| Maharawat | |
| Maharawat of Pratapgarh | |
| Reign | 1890–1929 |
| Predecessor | Udai Singh |
| Successor | Ram Singh |
| Born | 1859 |
| Died | 1929 |
| Issue |
|
| House |  Pratapgarh |
| Dynasty | Sisodia |
| Father | Khushal Singh |
Sir Raghunath Singh KCIE was the Maharawat of Pratapgarh from 1890 until his death in 1929.
Birth
[edit]He was born in 1859 to Khushal Singh, Thakur of Arnod.[1][2]
Succession
[edit]When Udai Singh, the Maharawat of Pratapgarh, died in 1890 without a legitimate successor, his widow adopted Raghunath Singh, his third cousin and closest surviving relative.[1][3][4] This choice was confirmed by the Government of India, and he was granted full administrative powers on 10 January 1891.[3][5]
Reign
[edit]During the Indian famine of 1899–1900, he introduced an efficient system of relief and remitted the land revenue for the year, which amounted to over a lakh and a half.[6] Due to the extravagance of his predecessor, Udai Singh, and the depreciation of the local coinage, Pratapgarh was heavily in debt.[5] To address this, he introduced British currency as the sole legal tender in Pratapgarh in 1904.[3] He reorganized the police, conducted a land revenue settlement based on modern principles, set up a municipality in Pratapgarh, and established courts with graded jurisdiction.[3][7] He introduced the telegraph and the telephone in Pratapgarh.[3][7][8] He constructed a hospital building, established a customs department, and connected Pratapgarh to Mandsaur by a pacca road.[3][7]
Personal life
[edit]He married three times: first, to the daughter of the Raja of Pisangan, with whom he had two children—a daughter who married the Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner,[9] and a son, Man Singh.[8] His second marriage was to the daughter of the Maharaj of Semlia in Sailana.[8] His third marriage was to the younger daughter of the Raja of Pisangan, with whom he had two children—a daughter who married the Maharaj Kumar of Sailana and died in 1911, and a son, Govardhan Singh.[8]
Honours
[edit]He was invested with the insignia of Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire by George V during the Delhi Durbar of 1911.[6][10]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Bayley, C. S. (2004). Chiefs and leading families in Rajputana. Public Resource. New Delhi : Asian Educational Services. pp. 44–45. ISBN 978-81-206-1066-8.
- ^ 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. pp. 409–410.
- ^ a b c d e f Sehgal, K. k (1961). Rajasthan District Gazetteers Chittaurgarh. p. 50.
- ^ Purushotam Vishram Mawjee (1911). (1911) Imperial durbar album of the Indian princes, chiefs and zamindars, Vol. I. p. 95.
- ^ a b Not Available (1911). Memoranda On Native States In Indian 1911. p. 120.
- ^ a b Vadivelu, A. (1915). The Ruling Chiefs, Nobles and Zamindars of India. G.C. Loganadham. p. 202.
- ^ a b c The Imperial Publishing Co., Lahore. His Imperial Majesty King George 5 And The Princes Of India And The Indian Empire ( Historical Biographical) Compiled By K. R. Khosla, 1937, Lahore The Imperial Publishing Co., Lahore. p. 66.
- ^ a b c d Umair Mirza (11 December 1911). Imperial Coronation Durbar of Delhi (1911), Volume 1. p. 103.
- ^ Hooja, Rima (1997). Prince, Patriot, Parliamentarian: Biography of Dr. Karni Singh, Maharaja of Bikaner. HarperCollins Publishers India. p. 15. ISBN 978-81-7223-260-3.
- ^ R.Bahadur. Who's who in India. Рипол Классик. p. 35. ISBN 978-5-87230-125-7.