Pratap Singh of Idar

The Maharaja of the State of Idar

Pratap Singh

Sir Pratap Singh of Idar
Born 22 October 1845
Died 4 September 1922
Allegiance United Kingdom United Kingdom
Service/branch  British Indian Army
Rank Lieutenant General
Battles/wars Second Afghan War
Tirah Campaign
Boxer Rebellion
First World War
Awards Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India
Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order

Lieutenant-General Pratap Singh GCB GCSI GCVO (22 October 1845 – 4 September 1922) was a career British Indian Army officer, Maharaja of the princely state of Idar (Gujarat) and heir to Ahmednagar later renamed as Himmatnagar from 1902 to 1911, when he abdicated in favour of his adopted son.

Early Life 1845-1878

Singh was born on 22 October 1845. He was the third son of Takht Singh of Jodhpur (1819-13 February 1873) the Maharaja of Jodhpur, and his first wife, Gulab Kunwarji Maji. He was educated privately, and little is known of his early life.

Administrator and Regent 1878-1922

From 1878 to 1895, Pratap Singh served as Chief Minister for Jodhpur State following his father's death in 1873 and his eldest brother's succession to the throne. After his brother's death in 1895, Pratap Singh served as regent for his fifteen-year-old nephew and heir to the Jodhpur throne until 1898, then again for his grandnephew from 1911 to 1918 and finally for his second grandnephew from 1918 until his own death in 1922. In total, Pratap Singh had served four rulers of Jodhpur for over four decades. He travelled to Europe often and was close to Queen Victoria and her family, serving as aide-de-camp to Edward VII from 1887 to 1910. He was especially close towards his son, the future George V of the United Kingdom.

Soldier of the Empire 1878-1918

Commissioned in the Jodhpur Risalda in 1878, Pratap Singh served during the Second Afghan War and was Mentioned in Despatches. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in 1887, served under General Ellis in 1897 and served in the Tirah Campaign in 1898 under General William Lockhart, during which he was wounded. Promoted to Colonel the same year, he commanded the Jodhpur contingent during the Boxer Rebellion and was promoted to an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB).[1] In late 1901 he accepted the post of honorary commandant of the Imperial Cadet Corps under Lord Curzon,[2] and was promoted to Major-General in 1902. Even as an elderly man of 70, Sir Pratap commanded his regiments heroically during the First World War in France and Flanders from 1914-1915 and in the Palestine Mandate at Haifa and Aleppo. He was promoted to Lieutenant-General in 1916.

Final Years 1911-1922

In 1911, Pratap had abdicated the gadi (throne) of Idar in favour of his adopted son and nephew, Daulat Singh. Following his wartime service and a final stint as Regent of Jodhpur, Singh died at Jodhpur on 4 September 1922.

Pratap Singh in 1914

Honours 1877-1922

(ribbon bar, as it would look today)

[3]

Titles

References

  1. 1 2 The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 27337. p. 4915. 24 July 1901.
  2. ↑ "Latest intelligence - India". The Times (36628). London. 3 December 1901. p. 5.
  3. ↑ The Royal Ark/India/salute/IDAR
  4. 1 2 "Court Circular". The Times (36794). London. 14 June 1902. p. 12.
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