Nareshchandra Singh

Raja Nareshchandra Singh (21 November 1908 – 11 September 1987), was ruler of Sarangarh Princely State in Raigarh District, Chhattisgarh, an Indian National Congress politician, and a Chief Minister of undivided Madhya Pradesh. He represented Sarangarh Vidhan Sabha constituency of Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly by winning the general election of 1957.^[1]

Raja Nareshchandra Singh was the last ruler of the Princely State of Sarangarh in the modern state of Chhattisgarh in Central India. He ruled after the death of his father Raja Jawahir Singh in January 1946 till the merger of his State into the union of India on 1 January 1948.

Girivilas Palace,Sarangarh

Like his father, he was an Alumnus of the Rajkumar College, Raipur and worked as an Honorary Magistrate in Raipur district before being inducted as the Education Minister in the administration of Sarangarh State.

After independence, he joined the Indian National Congress and won the first General Election held in 1952 for the State assembly of Madhya Pradesh. He was made a cabinet minister in the cabinet of Pandit Ravishankar Shukla and was given the portfolio of Electricity and Public Works departments. In 1969 he became the Chief Minister for 13 days (13 March 1969 to 25 March 1969).^[2] Disgusted with the way politics had come to be practised, he resigned from his post, ceased his membership of the State Assembly and quit politics.

His wife, Rani Lalita Devi (died 7 November 1987) was elected unopposed in his place in the by-election that was held after his resignation. The couple had five daughters and a son. Three of those daughters entered politics: Rajnigandha Devi was a Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha 1967-71), Kamala Devi was a member of State Assembly of Madhya Pradesh from 1971 to 1989, and a minister for 15 years, and Pushpa Devi Singh was elected thrice to the Lok Sabha Parliament in 1980, 1985 and 1991.

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