Bhupinder Singh of Patiala: Difference between revisions

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2013}}

|name       = Bhupinder Singh

|full name   =  

|title       = [[Maharaja]] of [[Patiala State|Patiala]]

|titletext   = ([[#Titles|more]])

|image       = Bhupendra Singh Patiala.jpg

|caption     = Bhupinder Singh, c. 1911

|succession = [[Maharaja of Patiala]]

|reign       = 8 November 1900 - 23 March 1938

|coronation =  

|cor-type   =  

|predecessor = [[Rajinder Singh of Patiala|Maharaja Rajinder Singh I]]

|successor   = [[Yadavindra Singh|Maharaja Yadavindra Singh I]]

|reg-type   = {{nowrap|[[Patiala State|Minister of State]]}}

|regent     = {{List collapsed|title=''See list''|1=[[Liaqat Hayat Khan]]}}

|spouse     = 5

|issue-link = #Personal life

| dynasty   = [[Phulkian]]

|father     = [[Rajinder Singh of Patiala|Maharaja Rajinder Singh I of Patiala]]

|mother     = Jasmer Kaur

|issue       = Estimated at 88

|birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1891|10|12}}

|birth_place = [[Moti Palace Museum|Moti Bagh Palace]], [[Patiala]], [[British India]]

|death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1938|3|23|1891|10|12}}

|death_place = [[Patiala]], [[British India]]

|signature   =  

|religion   = [[Sikhism]]

|module     = {{Infobox cricketer

|embed       = yes

| club1             = [[Hindus cricket team|Hindus]]

| year1             =

| club2             = [[Marylebone Cricket Club]]

| year2             =

| columns           = 1

| column1           = [[First-class cricket|FC]]

| matches1           = 27

| runs1             = 643

| bat avg1           = 17.37

| 100s/50s1         = 0/1

| top score1         = 83

| deliveries1       = 72

| wickets1           = 2

| bowl avg1         =  

| fivefor1           = 0

| tenfor1           = 0

| best bowling1     = 2-40

| catches/stumpings1 = 4/0

| source             = http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/player/32680.html

| date               =  

| year               =  

'''Maharaja Sir Bhupinder Singh''' or '''Bhuppi''' {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|GCSI|GCIE|GCVO|GBE}} (12 October 1891 – 23 March 1938) was the ruling [[Maharaja of Patiala|Maharaja]] of the [[princely state]] of [[Patiala State|Patiala]] in [[British India]] from 1900 to 1938.<ref name=Patiala>{{Cite web |url=http://patiala.nic.in/html/history.htm |title=''History of Patiala'' from Patiala web site |access-date=25 June 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090907045829/http://patiala.nic.in/html/history.htm |archive-date=7 September 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Bhupinder Singh was born at the [[Moti Palace Museum|Moti Bagh Palace]], [[Patiala]]<ref name="allaboutsikhs_Phulkian">{{cite web|url = http://www.allaboutsikhs.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=824|title = Historical Sikh Events: Phulkian Misl}}</ref> and educated at [[Aitchison College]]. At age 9, he succeeded as [[Maharaja]] of Patiala state upon death of his father, [[Maharaja Rajinder Singh]], on 9 November 1900. A Council of Regency ruled in his name until he took partial powers shortly before his 18th birthday on 1 October 1909 and was invested with full powers by the [[Viceroy of India]], the [[Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto|4th Earl of Minto]], on 3 November 1910.

[[File:NLS Haig - Maharaja of Patiala visits the Western Front.jpg|thumb|left|<center>Inspecting a [[BL 12 inch railway howitzer|BL 12-inch Railway Howitzer]] in France, August 1918</center>]]

He served on the [[General Staff]] in France, Belgium, Italy and Palestine in the [[First World War]] as an Honorary [[Lieutenant-Colonel]], and was promoted Honorary [[Major-General]] in 1918 and Honorary [[Lieutenant-General]] in 1931.  He represented India at the [[League of Nations]] in 1925, and was chancellor of the Indian [[Chamber of Princes]] for 10 years between 1926 and 1938, also being a representative at the [[Round Table Conference]].  He married many times and had many children by his wives and [[concubine]]s.

He was well known for the construction of buildings with bold [[architecture|architectural]] designs in Patiala, including Kali Temple, Patiala, and Chail View Palace in the summer retreat of [[Kandaghat]] along with Chail Palace and Oak Over and Cedar Lodge in [[Shimla]] which now houses the [[Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh]] and Punjab State Guest House respectively.<ref name=Solan>[http://hpsolan.gov.in/kandaghat.html ''Himachal Pradesh – Solan'' website] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929014518/http://hpsolan.gov.in/kandaghat.html |date=29 September 2007 }}</ref> He was known as a sportsman. He was also known for an exceptional collection of medals, believed to be the world's largest at the time.<ref>Singh J.  A medal for collecting medals.  ''[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]]'' (Chandigarh) Sunday, 29 February 2004  [https://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040229/spectrum/main7.htm]</ref> According to legend, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh would be driven in a motorcade of 20 [[Rolls Royce cars]]. He had a unique monorail system built in Patiala known as [[Patiala State Monorail Trainways]].

He was captain of the [[Indian national cricket team|Indian cricket team]] that visited England in 1911,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-48659324 |title=How the British forged the first Indian cricket team |work=BBC News |access-date=30 June 2019}}</ref> and played in 27 [[first-class cricket]] matches between 1915 and 1937.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/691775 |title=Royalty on the cricket field |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref> For season of 1926/27, he played as member of [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/34/34190/34190.html]. He donated the [[Ranji Trophy]] in honour of [[Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji]], [[Jam Sahib]] of [[Nawanagar State|Nawanagar]].  He was selected as the captain of India on its first Test tour of England in 1932, but dropped out for reasons of health two weeks before departure and the [[Maharaja of Porbandar]] took over. Most of the buildings of [[Chail Military School]] were donated by Maharaja of Patiala to the government of India.

Bhupinder Singh's grandson [[Amarinder Singh|Captain Amarinder Singh]] is a politician in India and served as [[Chief Minister]] of [[Punjab (India)|Punjab]] from 2002 to 2007. Captain Amarinder was again elected as Chief Minister of Punjab (India) in 2017.

 

Bhupinder Singh married ten times and had numerous consorts. From those unions, he sired an estimated 88 children of whom at least 53 survived him.{{citation needed|date=December 2010}} He was the owner of the world-famous "[[Patiala Necklace]]" manufactured by the famous brand [[Cartier SA]]. His wife Maharani Bakhtawar Kaur presented Queen Mary with a magnificent necklace on behalf of the Ladies of India during the Delhi Durbar of 1911 to mark the first visit to India by any Queen Empress.<ref>{{cite web|title=Emerald and diamond choker|url=http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/microsites/dressfortheoccasion/object.asp?exhibs=BPSO2006jewellery&item=5|publisher=Royal Collection|access-date=15 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130721160611/http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/microsites/dressfortheoccasion/object.asp?exhibs=BPSO2006jewellery&item=5|archive-date=21 July 2013|url-status=dead}} Although, he was married five times, his favorite wife was his third Wife, Maharani Vimal Kaur Sahiba of Ubbewal</ref>

 

On 23 March 1938 Bhupinder Singh died.

Of his five wives, Maharani Vimala Kaur Sahiba of Patiala (1906 - 1992), his 3rd [[Dowager]] Maharani from Ubbewal was his favourite wife. She attended all the ceremonies with him and travelled abroad.

 

* [[Maharani]] [[Sri]] Bakhtawar Kaur Sahiba (1892–1960). Daughter of Sardar Gurnam Singh, Sardar Bahadur of [[Sangrur]], [[Order of British India|OBI]]. Married Bhupinder Singh 1908.

* Maharani Vimala Kaur Sahiba (original name Dhan Kaur) of Ubbewal (1906-1992). Married Maharaja Bhupinder Singh 1920. [[Order of British India|OBI]].

*1911–1914: His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, [[GCIE]]

*1914–1918: [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, GCIE

*1918–1921: [[Major-General]] His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, GCIE, [[Knight Grand Cross of the British Empire|GBE]]

*1921–1922: Major-General His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, [[GCSI]], GCIE, GBE

*1922–1931: Major-General His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, GCSI, GCIE, [[GCVO]], GBE

*1931–1935: [[Lieutenant-General]] His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, GBE

*1935–1938: Lieutenant-General His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, GBE, [[Order of St. Gregory the Great|GCSG]]

==Honors==

<center>

[[File:Ord.Stella.India.jpg|100px]]

[[File:Order of St John (UK) ribbon.png|100px]]

[[File:King George V Coronation Medal ribbon.png|100px]]

[[File:GeorgeVSilverJubileum-ribbon.png|100px]]

[[File:GRE Order Redeemer 1Class.png|100px]]

[[File:DNK Order of Danebrog Grand Cross BAR.png|100px]]

</center>

{{cn|date=June 2020}}

*[[Delhi Durbar]] Gold Medal – 1903

* Delhi Durbar Gold Medal – 1911

* [[Mentioned in Despatches]] – 1919

* Grand Cross of the [[Legion d'Honneur]] of France – 1930 (Grand Officer – 1918)

==Footnotes==

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Bhupinder Of Patiala}}

[[Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order]]

[[Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire]]

[[Category:Grand Croix of the Légion d'honneur]]