 Pratap Singh, officially known as Lieutenant General Maharaja Sri Pratap Singh Sahib Bahadur of Idar, GCB, GCSI, was the Maharaja of the princely state of Idar. He was also a career British Indian Armyofficer and heir to Ahmednagar, which is now known as Himmatnagar. He reigned over the territory of Idar from the year 1902 to 1911, when he resigned in favor of his adopted son. He was born on 22nd October 1845 as the 3rd son of His Highness Maharaja Sir Takht Singh of Jodhpur, who was the Maharaja of Jodhpur and Maharani Gulab Kunwarji Maji Sahiba, his first wife. During his early years, Maharaja Pratap Singh received private education.
Pratap Singh as Regent and Administrator After the death of his father in the year 1873, his eldest brother succeeded the throne of Idar and Pratap Singh was appointed as the Chief Minister for Jodhpur, which he served from 1878 to 1895. In 1895, his brother died and Sir Pratap Singh served as regent for his nephew, who was a minor at the age of 15 at the time. Singh stayed as the regent until the year 1898, when his nephew attained the age of majority. Pratap Singh served as regent again from 1911 to 1918, for his grand-nephew and for a final time for his second grand-nephew from the year 1918 until 1922, when he died. Sir Pratap Singh served four separate rulers of Jodhpur for over forty years. He was also close to the family of Queen Victoria and to the Queen herself. He served as the Aide-De-Camp to Edward VII from the year 1887 to 1910. Sir Pratap Singh also maintained a good relationship with George V of the United Kingdom. Pratap Singh in British Indian Army Pratap Singh served the British Indian Army and was commissioned in the Jodhpur Risalda in the year 1878. He served during the Second Afghan War and was mentioned in Despatches. In 1887, Singh was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel; he served under General Ellis in 1897 and under General William Lockhart in the Tirah Campaign. Later he was promoted to the rank of Colonel and during the Boxer Rebellion he commanded the Jodhpur contingent. In the year 1902, Pratap Singh was promoted to Major General. Under Lord Curzon, he became honorary commandant of the Imperial Cadet Corps in 1903. He valiantly commanded the regiments during World War I in France and Flanders from 1914 to 1915. Singh also led the forces in the Palestine Mandate at Haifa and Aleppo. In 1916, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General. Personal Life of Pratap Singh Lieutenant General Maharaja Sri Pratap Singh Sahib Bahadur of Idar, GCB, GCSI, abdicated the throne or gadi of Idar in 1911 in favor of Daulat Singh, his adopted son. Sir Pratap Singh died at the age of 76 on 4th September 1922, at Jodhpur. Titles of Pratap Singh Some of the titles held by Maharaja Pratap Singh of Idar are as follows- * Maharajkumar Shri Pratap Singh Sahib (1845- 1873) * Maharaj Shri Pratap Singh Sahib (1873- 1877) * Maharaj Shri Pratap Singh Sahib, KIH (1877- 1878) * Second Lieutenant Maharaj Shri Pratap Singh Sahib, CSI, KIH (1878- 1886) * Second Lieutenant Maharaj Shri Sir Pratap Singh Sahib, KCSI, KIH (1886- 1887) * Lieutenant-Colonel Maharaj Shri Sir Pratap Singh Sahib, KCSI, KIH (1887-1897) * Lieutenant-Colonel Maharaj Shri Sir Pratap Singh Sahib, GCSI, KIH (1897-1898) * Colonel Maharaj Shri Sir Pratap Singh Sahib, GCSI, CB, KIH (1898- 1901) * Colonel Maharaj Shri Sir Pratap Singh Sahib, GCSI, KCB, KIH (1901- 1902) * Major-General His Highness Maharajadhiraja Maharaja Shri Sir Pratap Singh Sahib Bahadur, GCSI, KCB, KIH (1902- 1911) * Major-General His Highness Maharajadhiraja Maharaja Shri Sir Pratap Singh Sahib Bahadur, GCSI, GCVO, KCB, KIH (1911- 1916) * Lieutenant-General His Highness Maharajadhiraja Maharaja Shri Sir Pratap Singh Sahib Bahadur, GCSI, GCVO, KCB, KIH (1916- 1918) * Lieutenant-General His Highness Maharajadhiraja Maharaja Shri Sir Pratap Singh Sahib Bahadur, GCB, GCSI, GCVO, KIH (1918- 1922) Honours of Pratap Singh Lieutenant General Maharaja Sri Pratap Singh Sahib Bahadur of Idar received several honours. These are mentioned below- * Kaisar-i-Hind Gold Medal- 2nd Class (1877) * Mentioned in Dispatches- MID (1878) * Afghanistan Medal (1878) * Queen Victoria Golden Jubilee Medal (1887) * Mentioned in Dispatches- MID (1897) * Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India- GCSI (1897); KCSI (1886) and CSI (1878) * India Medal w/Clasp (1898) * Kaisar-i-Hind 1st Class- KIH (1900) * China War Medal (1901) * King Edward VII Coronation Medal (1902); with Delhi Durbar Clasp (1903) * King George V Coronation Medal (1911)- with Delhi Durbar Clasp * Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order- GCVO (1911) * Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath- GCB (1918), KCB (1901) and CB (1898) * Grand Cordon of the Order of the Nile of Egypt (1918) * Grand Officer of the Legion D'Honneur (1918) * Jodhpur Great War Medal (1919) * Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Romania (1921) |
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