Bhagwat Singh Mewar

Bhagwat Singh Mewar (, ; 20 June 1921 – 3 November 1984) was the titular ruler of the former Indian princely state of Udaipur or Mewar from 1955 until the Indian government abolished all royal titles in 1971. Bhagwat Singh was born in 1921, nine years before the accession of his father Bhupal Singh to the throne of Mewar and Udaipur as Maharana. He also became the Chairman, Vishva Hindu Parishad in 1969 unanimously.

Personal life

On 29 February 1940, he married Princess Sushila Kumari of Bikaner, daughter of King Sadul Singh I of Bikaner and his wife Queen Sudarshan Prasad (née Princess of Rewa); Together they had three children:
* Mahendra Singh, Crown Prince of Mewar
* Princess Yogeshwari Kumari, married to Prince Krishan Singh, Hereditary Prince of Sitamau
* Prince Arvind Singh

In the 26th amendment to the Constitution of India promulgated in 1971, the Government of India abolished all official symbols of princely India, including titles, privileges, and remuneration ( privy purses).1. , "Through a constitutional amendment passed in 1971, Indira Gandhi stripped the princes of the titles, privy purses and regal privileges which her father's government had granted." (p 278). 2. Quote: "The princes of India – their number and variety reflecting to a large extent the chaos that had come to the country with the break up of the Mughal empire – had lost real power in the British time. Through generations of idle servitude they had grown to specialize only in style. A bogus, extinguishable glamour: in 1947, with Independence, they had lost their state, and Mrs. Gandhi in 1971 had, without much public outcry, abolished their privy purses and titles." (pp 37–38). 3. Quote: "Although the Indian states were alternately requested or forced into union with either India or Pakistan, the real death of princely India came when the Twenty-sixth Amendment Act (1971) abolished the princes' titles, privileges, and privy purses." (page 78). 4. Quote: "The third stage in the political evolution of the princes from rulers to citizens occurred in 1971, when the constitution ceased to recognize them as princes and their privy purses, titles, and special privileges were abolished." (page 84). 5. Quote: "Her success at the polls emboldened Mrs. Gandhi to act decisively against the princes. Through 1971, the two sides tried and failed to find a settlement. The princes were willing to forgo their privy purses, but hoped at least to save their titles. But with her overwhelming majority in Parliament, the prime minister had no need to compromise. On 2 December she introduced a bill to amend the constitution and abolish all princely privileges. It was passed in the Lok Sabha by 381 votes to six, and in the Rajya Sabha by 167 votes to seven. In her own speech, the prime minister invited 'the princes to join the elite of the modern age, the elite which earns respect by its talent, energy and contribution to human progress, all of which can only be done when we work together as equals without regarding anybody as of special status.' " (page 441). 6. Quote: "The Indian princes survived the British Raj by only a few years. The Indian republic stripped them of their powers and then their titles." (page 10). 7. Quote: "Indian States: "Various (formerly) semi-independent areas in India ruled by native princes .... Under British rule ... administered by residents assisted by political agents. Titles and remaining privileges of princes abolished by Indian government 1971." (page 520). 8. Quote: "A monarchy is only as good as the reigning monarch: thus it is with the princely states. Once they seemed immutable, invincible. In 1971 they were "derecognized," their privileges, privy purses and titles all abolished at a stroke" (page 91) Bhagwat Singh succeeded him as the titular ruler of the state.

Some of Bhagwat Singh's palaces were Jag Niwas, on an island in Lake Pichola, and Monsoon Palace, both since used for the filming of several films, including the James Bond film ''Octopussy'' in 1983.

Cricket career

Bhagwat Singh played 31 first-class matches and scored 846 at an average of 18.35 and also took five wickets in his career spanning from 1945–46 to 1961–62, He played for both Rajputana cricket team as well as its successor Rajasthan cricket team.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Bhagwat
Sisodia dynasty
1921 births
1984 deaths
Indian cricketers
Rajasthan cricketers
Central Zone cricketers
Vishva Hindu Parishad members
Monarchs of Mewar