Maharaja Ripuduman Singh

Maharaja Ripuduman Singh was born on Mar. 4, 1883 in Nabha. His father was Maharaja Sir Hira Singh and his mother was Jasmaer Kaur (daughter of Sardar Anokh Singh Longowalia). On 29th Jaeth sunmat 1958, he married Bibi Jagdhish Kaur (daughter of sardar Gur Dayal Singh Mann) and a daughter was born on Oct. 8, 1907, named Bibi Amrit Kaur who later married Raja Sahib Kalsiya Ravisher Singh on Feb. 16, 1925.
Ripudaman Singh was an additional member to the Governor's legislative Council from 1906 to 1908. In 1910, he went on European travels. He was present at Westminister Abbey during the Coronation of H.M. King George on June 22, 1911. His father Maharaja Hira Singh passed away while Ripudaman Singh was on these travels.
He assumed the Nabha rule on Jan. 24th, 1912. In WWI, he offered his forces to fight with the British. Though this offer was not immediately accepted, his forces were later employed in Mesopotamia where they exhibited exemplary performance under the command of Col. Bachan Singh. The Maharaja donated several lakh ruppees under several funds for the war efforts during 1917-18. His forces fought with the British in Balochistan and Iran.
On Oct. 10, 1918, he married SarojanDevi (daughter of Sardar Prem Singh Raipuria) and a son Pratap Singh was born on Sept. 21, 1919.
Due to several reasons, including internal dissension, bad influence, bad company, and numerous mistakes, the Maharaja had to relinquish his rule in June 9, 1923 to a British administrator. In return, he received Rs. 3 lakh annually for his maintenance.
On Feb. 6, 1927, Maharaja Ripudaman Singh partook Amrit at Abichal Nagar and was named Gurcharan Singh.
On Feb. 19, 1928, government announced that Maharaja Ripudaman had violated the agreement under which he had relinquished his rule. As a result, his stipend was reduced from Rs. 3 lakhs to Rs. 120,000. Further his title of Maharaja was taken away and he was put under house arrest at Kadia-Kunal in Madras where he died on this day. On Feb. 23, 1928, the governor general appointed Pratap Singh as the Maharaja of Nabha.
-Ref. Mahan Kosh (pp. 696)
Many thanks to: allaboutsikhs.com
Category:Early Gursikh Personalities