Maharaja Himmat Singh (2 September 1899 – 24 November 1960) was the last ruler of the princely state of Idar State. He was Maharaja of Idar from 1931 to 1948.[1]
Birth
editHimmat Singh was the eldest son of Maharaja Daulat Singh was born on 2 September 1899 at Jodhpur. He was educated at Mayo College at Ajmer.[2]
He attended the Coronation of the King George V and Queen Mary, at Westminster Abbey, in London and served as Page-of-Honour to the King-Emperor at the Delhi Coronation Durbar in 1911.[3]
Ascension
editSingh succeeded on the death of his father on 14 April 1931 as Maharaja of Idar State and was installed on the gadi (throne) at Himmatnagar on 11 July 1931.[4] Upon the independence of India, he merged his state in to the Union of India on 10 June 1948.
Singh also held the title of Colonel-in-Chief of Idar Sir Pratap Infantry from 1931 to 1954.
He was an outstanding all-round sportsman with varied interests of sports like - hunting, horse-racing, polo, tent-pegging and pig-sticking, cricket and football.
Personal life
editHe died on 24 November 1960. Singh had two sons Maharaja Daljit Singh (who succeeded him as Maharaja of Idar) and Maharaj Shri Amar Singhji.[2]
Memorials
editThe town of Himmatnagar, which served as the capital of Idar State, was renamed after him from Ahmadnagar by his father Daulat Singh in year 1912, who was then the heir-apparent to the throne of Idar.[5][6]
Honours
edit- Delhi Durbar Medal - silver (1911)
- King George V Silver Jubilee Medal - 1935
- King George VI Coronation Medal - 1937
- Indian Independence Medal - 1948
- Halvad-Dhrangadhra State Rajyabhisek Medal 1st class - 1942
- Halvad-Dhrangadhra Accession to India Medal - 25 March 1948
References
edit- ^ List of Ruling Princes, Chiefs and Leading Personages by Rajputana (Agency) - 1938 - Page 107.
- ^ a b Henry Soszynski. "Idar State". Members.iinet.net.au. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ The historical record of the imperial visit to India, 1911 by India. Governor-General (1910-1916 : Hardinge) - 1914 - Page 426
- ^ The Royal Coronation Number and Who's who in India, Burma and Ceylon by Thomas Peter Sun Publishing House, 1937 pp:70-71
- ^ Gazetteers: Sabarkantha District 1974 - Page 117. The old and historic name of the capital was changed from Ahmednagar to Himatnagar after the name of heir-apparent, Himmatsinghji.
- ^ Gujarat State Gazetteers: Sabarkantha - 1974 - Page 714. The old and historic name of the town was changed from Ahmednagar to Himatnagar after the name of Maharaja Shri Himmatsinghji in 1912.