SirUdai Bhan SinghGCIEKCSIKCVO (
Hindi: उदयभान सिंह; 12 February 1893 – 22 October 1954) was the Maharaj-Rana of Dholpur from 1911 until his death in 1954.
Early life and education
Udai Bhan was born on 12 February 1893.[1][2] He received his education at
Mayo College, Ajmer, where he successfully passed the Diploma examination and earned numerous prizes.[2] He secured a prize for an essay on irrigation and a certificate from the Ambulance Society for First Aid to the Wounded.[3] He took a short course of training at the
Imperial Cadet Corps at
Dehradun.[4][3][5][6]
Family
In June 1911, he married Malvender Kaur, the daughter of Sardar Shamsher Singh of Badrukhan in
Jind State.[7][8][9][1][6][10][2][11] He had an issue from this marriage, a daughter named Urmila Devi, who, in 1943, married
Pratap Singh, the Maharaja of
Nabha State.[12][13]
As he had no male heir of his own, following his demise, his widow adopted their daughter's son,
Hemant Singh, who succeeded him.[14][15][8][16]
Reign
He succeeded his elder brother,
Ram Singh, as the Maharaj-Rana of
Dholpur, following his death on 29 March 1911.[4][17][12][1][18][5][19] The administration of the state was entrusted to G.H. Anderson, who acted as the Superintendent of the State and Guardian to the Maharaj-Rana.[4][3][20][21][9] He was assisted by selected officials under the general direction of the Political Agent. From 1911 to 1913, Anderson presided over State Council meetings and directed the administration.[21][9] He paid a short visit to Europe, from where he returned in September 1912.[9] He was invested with full ruling powers on the 9 October 1913.[9][1] His state,
Dholpur, enjoyed a permanent salute of 15 guns.[3][22][23] However, on 1 January 1921, he was granted a salute of 17 guns as a personal distinction.[7][9][24][25] He was a delegate to the
Second Round Table Conference in
London in 1931 and stayed at the
May Fair Hotel.[26][27][28][29][30]
He was installed in 1916 as Master of the Holland Lodge No. 3554, Bharatpur, Mumbai, which was consecrated on 6 January 1912 and closed in 1927, of which he was elected Master before.[32][33]
During the years 1931-1932 and 1942–43, he held the office of President of the General Council of
Mayo College, Ajmer.[44][45][46] In 1940-41, he served as Vice-President, and in 1928, he was a member.[47][48]
On 20 November 1919, during a hunting event where 4,206 birds were killed by 50 guns, 401 of these fell to his gun.[51][52] On 8 December 1921, during
Edward VIII's tour of India, a duck shoot was organized at a reserve in Bharatpur.[51][52] During this event, the Maharaj-Rana managed to shoot down 210 ducks, the highest individual bag.[52]
According to
Conrad Corfield, he was the finest game shot in India.[53] However, he developed such a profound love for wildlife that he renounced the use of firearms altogether.[53][54] He had the area around Kaiserbagh Palace in Dholpur made into a sanctuary and implemented numerous improvements in the existing Ram Sagar and Satakarai Sanctuaries.[55][53] These improvements included constructing walls, establishing good roads, and blocking nullahs, among other enhancements.[55][53]
Military ranks
He was appointed as an
Major in the Army on 1 January 1921.[7][9] Later, on 24 October 1921, he was promoted to the rank of
Lieutenant-Colonel.[7][9]
Death
He died on 22 October 1954 and was succeeded by his adopted grandson
Hemant Singh.[15][8]