Raja Maharaj Singh

Raja Sir Maharaj Singh, CIE, CStJ (17 May 1878, Kapurthala, Punjab – 6 June 1959, Lucknow) was the first Indian Governor of Bombay.

Maharaj Singh was the son of Raja Harnam Singh of the Kapurthala royal family. He was educated at Harrow School and Balliol College in Oxford, where he completed his MA, and was called to Bar by the Middle Temple in 1902. Starting off as the Deputy Collector of United Provinces, he held several positions in the government of India. He was elected the chancellor of Lucknow University in 1941 and served for a short span as the Prime Minister of Kashmir. He was the Governor of Bombay from 1948 to 1952. He was appointed a CIE in 1915 and knighted in 1933.

At the age of 72 he captained the Bombay Governor's XI against a touring Commonwealth XI in a match starting on 25 November 1950. This makes him the oldest cricketer to make his first class debut and the oldest player to play the first class game. Coming in to bat at No.9, he edged Jim Laker for 3 and one run later, was caught at first slip off the same bowler. He took no part in the game after the first day and Yadavindra Singh of Patiala captained the side in his absence. Laker was 44 years younger than the man he dismissed. The Test cricketer Rusi Modi served as his ADC while he was the Bombay governor.

Rajkumari Amrit Kaur who was the minister of health in the Nehru government was his younger sister. Married to Gunwati Maya Das of Ferozepore, he had two sons and a daughter namely Raja Ranbir Singh(died June 1995) and Kanwar Mahindar Singh(died August 2004)and Prem Maharaj Singh(now Seth) who is the only surviving child.

Titles

• 1878-1915: Kunwar Maharaj Singh
• 1915-1932: Kunwar Maharaj Singh, CIE
• 1932-1933: Raja Maharaj Singh, CIE
• 1933-1937: Raja Sir Maharaj Singh, CIE
• 1937-1959: Raja Sir Maharaj Singh, CIE, CStJ
• 1948-1952: His Excellency Sri Sir Maharaj Singh, CIE, CStJ, Governor of the State of Bombay

Honours

• Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE)-1915
• Knight Bachelor-1933
• King George V Silver Jubilee Medal-1935
• Commander of the Order of St John (CStJ)-1937
• King George VI Coronation Medal-1937
• Indian Independence Medal-1947

References

• Times Obituary, 8 June 1959
• Indian Princely States - Kapurthala
• Martin Williamson, Ripe old age