Editing Ajit Singh of Khetri (section)

== Biography ==

=== Early life and background ===
Ajit Singh was born on 16 October 1861 in [[Alsisar]], India. His father was Thakur Chattu Singh, a resident of Alsisar. Singh's mother was the daughter of the Thakur of Nimaj in Jodhpur.

=== Accession to the throne ===
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| footer   = In 1897 Ajit Singh went to England to attend Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee celebration. This image of Ajit Singh was taken on 18 June 1897 at The Lafayette Studio, 179 New Bond Street, London, W.<ref name="Lafayette Negative Archive 01">{{cite web|title=Image of Ajit Singh Khetri in London|url=http://lafayette.org.uk/khe1245b.html|publisher=Lafayette Negative Archive|access-date=12 May 2013}}</ref><ref name="Lafayette Negative Archive 02">{{cite web|title=Image of Ajit Singh Khetri in London|url=http://lafayette.org.uk/khe1246.html|publisher=Lafayette Negative Archive|access-date=12 May 2013}}</ref>

| image1    = Ajit Singh of Khetri 18 June 1897.jpg 
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| image2    = Ajit Singh of Khetri 18 June 1897 London.jpg
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| alt2      = Ajit Singh of Khetri with his young son Jai Singh
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Ajit Singh was adopted by Raja Fateh Singh, seventh king of Khetri. In 1870, after the death of Fateh Singh, Ajit Singh acceded to the throne and became the eighth king of Khetri. Though Khetri was small in size, the state was one of the most advanced and progressed states of Rajasthan of that time. Ajit Singh was a big admirer of arts and music.<ref name="RKMission Khetri History">{{cite web|title=RKMission Khetri History|url=http://www.rkmissionkhetri.org/history.html|publisher=RKMission Khetri|access-date=12 May 2013}}</ref> In 1897 he went to [[England]] to attend [[Queen Victoria]]'s diamond jubilee.<ref name="Raja of Khetri 1897">{{cite web|title=Raja of Khetri 1897|url=http://lafayette.org.uk/khe1245b.html|publisher=lafayette.org.uk|access-date=12 May 2013}}</ref>

=== Marriage and personal life ===
In 1876 Ajit Singh married Rani Champawatiji Sahiba, daughter of Thakur Devi Singh of Auwa. Rani Champawatiji Sahiba died on 16 May 1904. Ajit Singh and Champawatiji Sahiba had two daughters and one son.
* Their first daughter, Surya Kumari, was born on 16 September 1882, married Rajadhiraja Sahib Umaid Singhji II Bahadur of Shahpura in 1894. Surya Kumari died on 8 August 1913 at Shahpura.
* Their second daughter, Chandra Kumari, was born on 17 January 1889. She married Maan Singh of Pratapgarh in 1903.
* Their only son, Jai Singh Sahib, was born in Agra on 26 January 1893. He studied at Mayo College, Ajmer. In 1901, after the death of Ajit Singh, Jai became the ninth king of Khetri. In 1905, he established Ajit Singh Hospital in memory of his father. He died on 30 March 1910 in Jaipur after suffering from [[tuberculosis]].

=== Death ===
Ajit Singh died on 18 January 1901 in [[Sikandara]], and was cremated at Mathura. At the time of death he was 39 years 3 months old. Incidentally, Swami Vivekananda too died at the age of 39.<ref name="Bharathi2010">{{cite book|author=S.V. Bharathi|title=Educational Philosophy of Swami Vivekananda|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HvsvOXqVgDMC&pg=PA30|year=2010|publisher=Discovery Publishing House|isbn=978-81-8356-023-8|page=30}}</ref>

In a letter written to Marhy Hale, on 18 May 1901, Vivekananda informed—<ref name="Letter written to Mary Hale">{{cite web|title=Letter written to Mary Hale|url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Complete_Works_of_Swami_Vivekananda/Volume_5/Epistles_-_First_Series/CIII_Mary|publisher=Wikisource|date=18 May 1901}}</ref>
<blockquote>The Raja of Khetri died from a fall a few months ago. So you see things are all gloomy with me just now, and my own health is wretched. Yet I am sure to bob up soon and am waiting for the next turn.</blockquote>

In a separate letter written to Mrs. Ole Bull on 26 January 1901, Swami Vivekananda wrote:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/vivekananda/volume_5/epistles_first_series/096_mother.htm|title=XCVI Mother|website=www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info}}</ref>

<blockquote>I went to see Mrs. Sevier at Mayavati. On my way I learnt of the sudden death of the Raja of Khetri. It appears he was restoring some old architectural monument at Agra, at his own expense, and was up some tower on inspection. Part of the tower came down, and he was instantly killed.</blockquote>