Maharaja Ganga Singh

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Maharaja Ganga Singh (1880-1943 AD) was a ruler with modern reformist vision of the princely state of Bikaner in present-day Rajasthan, India. He was the only non-Anglo member of the British Imperial War Cabinet during World War I.

• Maj.-Gen.HH Maharajadhiraj Raj Rajeshwar Narendra Siromani Maharaja Sri Sir GANGA SINGHJI Bahadur 1887/1943, born 13th October 1880 in Bikaner, K.C.I.E. [cr.1901], K.C.S.I. [cr.1904], G.C.S.I. [cr.1911], G.C.I.E. [cr.1907], G.C.V.O. [cr.1919], G.B.E. (Mil) [cr.1921], K.C.B.(Hon)(Mil) [cr.1918], LL.D. (Hon) (Cambridge and Edinburgh), D.C.L. (Hon) (Oxford), F.R.G.S., initially educated privately, then at Mayo College, Ajmer 1889/1894. From 1895 to 1898, he was put under the guidance of Sir Brian Egerton for administrative training, learning the entire administrative work from that of Patwari to that of Prime Minister. For Military training, he was sent to Deoli in 1898 and attached to the Deoli Regiment, which had the reputation of being one of the finest Regiment in India under the command of Lt. Col. Bell. He established a Chief Court in Bikaner in , presided over by a Chief Judge who was assisted by two Judges. Bikaner was the first State in Rajasthan to take such a step. He announced the establishment of a Representative Assembly in 1913. He later established a High Court with a Chief Justice and two sub-judges by an Edict in 1922. Maharaja Ganga Singhji was again the first prince in Rajputana to have granted full charter of powers to a High Court. A life insurance and Endowment Assurance Scheme was introduced for the benefit of the employees. Also, facilities of a Saving Bank were made available to the people. He was one of the first Rulers to introduce through legislation Sharda Act by which child marriages were stopped. He was a Donat of Order of St John of Jerusalem in England, served in China in 1900, commanding the Bikaner Camel Corps (received the KCIE and medal, mentioned in despatches), served during WWI in France and Egypt (receiving the KCB, rank of Hon. Maj.-Gen., 1914 Star, Grand Cordon of Order of the Nile), awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind (Gold) Medal in 1900, has a personal gun salute of 19 granted in 1918 and a permanent local gun salute of of 19 granted in 1921, Hon. ADC to HRH Prince of Wales in 1902 and to HM in 1910, Member of the Central Recruiting Board-India 1917, represented India at Imperial War Conference 1917 and at Imperial War Cabinet and Peace Conference 1919, Chancellor of Indian Chamber of Princes 1920/26, Patron of Benares Hindu University and Sri Bharat Dharam Mahamandal, Vice President of East India Association and Royal Colonial Institute, Member of the Indian Gymkhana Club and Indian Army Temperance Association, Member of General Council of Mayo and Daly Colleges, Member of the Indian Society of Oriental Art and the Indian Society-London and the Bombay Natural History Society, first Member of the Indian Red Cross Society. He married 1stly July 1897 HH Maharani Vallabhkuver Sahiba of Pratapgarh, she died 19th August 1906, married 2ndly HH Maharani Sri Bhatiyaniji Sahiba of Bikampur and had issue. He died 2nd February 1943 in Bombay.

[edit] Achievements

• Maharaja Ganga Singh is remembered for having constructed the Ganga Canal. He inspired people to come and settle in this new Command area. A latge population settled than there. Among them the Sikh families mostly the land owners, migrated to this region from the Punjab around 1928, when the canal was built by Maharaja Ganga Singh of the former Bikaner state. Hindu families are the original inhabitants of this region; however, there were no permanent settlements in this area (except for a few towns under the old Bikaner state).
• Successfully deealt and manged to fight the worst famine of the year 1899-1900 AD in the entire region. This famine inspired the young Maharaja to establish a good irrigation system to get rid of the problem permanently.
• Developed the city of Sri Ganganagar & its surrounding area as the most fertile grain bowl of Rajasthan
• He also constructed the Lallgarh Palace at Bikaner (named in memory of his father Lall Singh) between 1902 and 1926.
• He braught Railways & Electricity network to the state.
• Introduced Prison reforms. In those days Bikaner prisoners used to weave & craft the best Carpets of India which saw International Markets.
• Established partiall internal Democracy such as election to the municipalties & appointed a Counsil of minister to aid & advice.
• Some Land reforms were also introduced.

• Induced enterprising Industrialist & agriculturists from neighbouring state for starting new ventures in his state.

[edit] See also

• List of Rajputs

[edit] References

• www.realbikaner.com/history/rulers/gangasingh.html