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{{short description|Maharaja of Orchha from 1874 to 1930}}
{{infobox royalty
| name = Pratap Singh
| image = Maharaja Pratap Singh of Orchha.jpg
| succession = [[Maharaja]] of [[Orchha State|Orchha]]
| reign = 15 March 1870 – 3 March 1930
| predecessor = Hamir Singh
| successor = [[Vir Singh Ju Deo]]
| birth_date = {{birth date|1854|07|03|df=yes}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1930|03|03|1854|07|03|df=yes}}
| issue = {{plainlist|
* [[Bhagwant Singh Ju Deo|Bhagwant Singh]]
* Sawant Singh
}}
| full name = Pratap Singh Ju Deo
| house = {{flagicon image|Flag_of_the_Orchha_State.svg}} [[Orchha State|Orchha]]
| father = Sujan Singh II
| dynasty = [[Bundela]]
}}
'''Pratap Singh Ju Deo''' was the [[Maharaja]] of [[Orchha State|Orchha]] (in [[Bundelkhand]]) from 1874 until his death in 1930.

==Early life and family==
He was born on 3 July 1854 to Sujan Singh II.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Soszynski |first=Henry |title=ORCHHA |url=http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/o/orchha.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052038/http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/o/orchha.html |archive-date=2017-07-08 |access-date=2026-03-10 |website=members.iinet.net.au}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Not Available |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.83756/ |title=Who's Who In India Vol 1 |date=1911 |pages=40–42}}</ref> He married and had three children: two sons and a daughter.<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last=Not Available |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.34582/ |title=Memoranda On The Indian States 1930 |date=1933 |pages=43–45,48–49}}</ref> His eldest son, [[Bhagwant Singh Ju Deo|Bhagwant Singh]], predeceased him in 1920.<ref name=":6" /> His younger son, Sawant Singh, was adopted by Bhan Pratap Singh, the [[Maharaja]] of [[Bijawar State|Bijawar]], and succeeded his adoptive father in June 1900.<ref name=":6" /> His daughter married Vishwanath Singh, the [[Maharaja]] of [[Chhatarpur State|Chhatrapur]], in 1884 and died in 1921.<ref name=":6" />

== Reign ==
After the death of his brother, Hamir Singh, in March 1874, he became the [[Maharaja]] of [[Orchha State|Orchha]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fTK25ExhPzUC |title=A collection of treaties, engagements, and sunnuds relating to India and neighbouring countries, compiled by C.U. Aitchison, revised and continued by A.C. Talbot. [With] An index, compiled by M. Belletty. revised |date=1892 |pages=9–10 |language=en}}</ref> On this occasion, the [[British government of India|British government]] sent Major A. Mayne to temporarily oversee the administration of the state.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=India |first=Central |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W_8bAQAAIAAJ |title=The Central India State Gazetteer Series |date=1907 |publisher=Thacker, Spink |pages=36–64 |language=en}}</ref> On 4 June 1874, Pratap took over the administration, and the British officer was withdrawn in May 1876.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0" /> He took a great interest in girls' education and established a girls' school in 1875, the first of its kind in [[Bundelkhand]].<ref name=":0" /> He established a series of schools throughout his dominions, where education was provided free of cost.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /> Books were also distributed at no charge, and the state covered students' expenses when they appeared for university examinations.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /> In 1876, he established regular courts of justice and organized the police force.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /> He abolished all transit duties in [[Orchha State|Orchha]] in 1880.<ref name=":2" /> In 1895, he established a postal system in [[Orchha State|Orchha]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/aclarch0000269a296/ |title=ACL-ARCH 00269 Indian Princes And The Crown |pages=333–336}}</ref> During the [[Indian famine of 1896–1897]], he worked tirelessly to provide famine relief.<ref name=":3" /> The famine relief efforts cost a total of 1,300,000 rupees.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /> The women who observed [[purdah]] were given suitable work.<ref name=":3" /> Those who could not work received grains daily from the state granaries.<ref name=":3" /> He combated the famine of 1905 with the same zeal.<ref name=":3" /> He attended the [[Delhi Durbar|Delhi durbars]] of 1877, 1903, and 1911.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=The Imperial Publishing Co. |first=Lahore |url=https://archive.org/details/TwiK_his-imperial-majesty-king-george-5-and-the-princes-of-india-and-the-indian-empir/ |title=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 |pages=39}}</ref> At the [[Delhi Durbar#Durbar of 1911|Durbar]] of 1911, his grandsons, [[Vir Singh Ju Deo|Vir Singh]] and Karan Singh, were selected to serve as pages to [[George V]] and [[Charles Hardinge, 1st Baron Hardinge of Penshurst|Charles Hardinge]], the [[Governor-General of India]], respectively.<ref name=":1" /> During his state entry into [[Delhi]] for the [[Delhi Durbar|Delhi durbar]] of 1911, he was accompanied by his eldest son, Pritchard, the Political Agent in [[Bundelkhand]], and the Madur-ul-Maham.<ref name=":7">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VxQiAQAAMAAJ |title=The Historical Record of the Imperial Visit to India, 1911 |date=1914 |publisher=government of India |pages=80–81 |language=en}}</ref> His procession included a cavalry escort, richly caparisoned state horses, spearmen, mace-bearers, ''chhata'' ({{Translation|umbrella}}), ''suraj-mukhi'' ({{Translation|sun-face}}), ''pankha'' ({{Translation|fan}}) and bearers carrying [[Ganges]] water.<ref name=":7" /> There was also a silver and gold palanquin, ''chanwars'' ({{Translation|yak tail whiskers}}), ''morchals'' ({{Translation|peacock feather whiskers}}), ''aftaba'', ''pandan'' ({{Translation|betel nut box}}), ''itardan'' ({{Translation|bottle used to hold attar}}), and other [[paraphernalia]].<ref name=":7" /> His mounted personal attendants wore elaborate gold embroidery, and he was followed by the [[Raja]] of [[Dhar State|Dhar]].<ref name=":7" /> In 1924, he celebrated the [[golden jubilee]] of his reign by opening schools, remitting taxes, introducing the Gajshahi rupee, and constructing a Jubilee Hall in the palace.<ref name=":8">{{Cite book |last1=Pradesh (India) |first1=Madhya |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ryILAQAAIAAJ |title=Madhya Pradesh District Gazetteers: Tikamgarh |last2=Krishnan |first2=V. S. |date=1995 |publisher=Government Central Press |pages=73 |language=en}}</ref> He settled 217 villages, excavated 73 tanks, and dug 7,086 wells.<ref name=":8" /> This significantly improved people's lives and increased agricultural productivity.<ref name=":8" /> He constructed several buildings and architectural structures.<ref name=":8" />

== Death ==
He died on 3 March 1930 and was succeeded by his grandson, [[Vir Singh Ju Deo|Vir Singh]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.csl.8479/ |title=A Collection of Treaties Engagements and Sanads: Relating to India and Neighbouring Countries (Vol-V) |date=1930 |publisher=Government of India central publication branch,Calcutta |pages=8–11}}</ref>

==Titles, styles, salute and honours==

=== Titles and styles ===
In 1882, the [[British government of India|Government of India]] conferred upon him the title of [[Sawai Bahadur]] and, in 1886, granted him the hereditary title of Saramad-i-Rajah-i-Bundelkhand.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Lethbridge |first=Sir Roper |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zykYAAAAYAAJ |title=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. With an Appendix for Ceylon |date=1900 |publisher=S. Low, Marston & Company |pages=225–226 |language=en}}</ref> He also held the titles Bharat Dharma Ratnakar and Yog Vidya Vinod.<ref name=":1" /> His titles were:

* [[His Highness]] Saramad-i-Rajah-i-Bundelkhand Mahendra [[Maharaja]] Sawai [[Sir]] Pratap Singh Ju Deo Bahadur, Bharat Dharma Ratnakar, Yog Vidya Vinod, [[Maharaja]] of [[Orchha State|Orchha]].<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=Vadivelu |first=A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PeeRRf0EhnIC |title=The Ruling Chiefs, Nobles & Zamindars of India |date=1915 |publisher=G.C. Loganadham |pages=162–163 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Salute ===
As the ruler of [[Orchha State|Orchha]], he was entitled to a fifteen-gun salute.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /> However, the [[British government of India|Government of India]] later increased it to seventeen as a personal distinction.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Purushotam Vishram Mawjee |url=https://archive.org/details/DurbarAlbum1/ |title=(1911) Imperial durbar album of the Indian princes, chiefs and zamindars, Vol. I. |date=1911 |pages=137}}</ref>

=== Honours ===
He was appointed [[GCIE]] in 1898 and [[GCSI]] in 1906.<ref name=":4" /> He was made [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath|KCB]] in 1901.<ref name=":5">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0LEANustf00C |title=Debrett's Illustrated Peerage and Baronetage, Titles of Courtesy and the Knightage |date=1917 |publisher=Kelly's Directories |pages=941 |language=en}}</ref> The [[University of Oxford]] conferred upon him an [[Honorary degree|honorary]] [[Doctorate of Civil Law]] in 1911.<ref name=":5" />

==References==
<references />

{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ju Deo, Pratap Singh}}
[[Category:1854 births]]
[[Category:1930 deaths]]
[[Category:Hindu monarchs]]
[[Category:Indian knights]]
[[Category:People from British India]]
[[Category:People from Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:People from Bundelkhand]]

{{India-royal-stub}}
[[Category:Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire]]
[[Category:Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath]]

Pratap Singh Judeo - Revision history

DebbieLemke: starting basic bio from scratch - done