Following his accession to the throne of Patiala, Yadavindra pursued a political and diplomatic career, serving as chancellor of the Chamber of Princes from 1943 to 1944. In 1947, when India gained independence, he was the pro-chancellor of the Chamber of Princes. At a special session he said "After centuries time has come when India has gained independence from foreign rule and it's the time when we all (princely states) should unite for our motherland" and persuaded many other rulers to join the Indian Union.
Yadavindra served as president of the Indian Olympic Committee from 1938 to 1960. He was instrumental in organizing the Asian Games. He founded Yadavindra Public School. Lal Bagh Palace, the building in which Yadavindra Public School is housed was donated by Sir Yadavindra Singh. He was a noted horticulturist by passion and later served as chairman of Indian Horticulture Development Council. He was also the president of BCCI.He continued his career from 1956 onwards, serving as Indian delegate to the United Nations General Assembly from 1956 to 1957 and to UNESCO in 1958. He also headed the Indian delegation to the FAO on and off during 1959-1969. Sir Yadavindra served as Indian Ambassador to Italy (1965–1966) and as Indian Ambassador to the Netherlands from 1971 until 17 June 1974, when he died suddenly in office at The Hague from heart failure, age 61, after a reign of 36 years. On specific instructions of Indira Gandhi he was cremated with full state honours.
He was succeeded by his son Amarinder Singh, who is a politician with the Congress Party and who served as Chief Minister of the Indian State of Punjab from 2002 to 2007. His daughter, Heminder Kaur, is married to K. Natwar Singh, former external affairs minister of India.In 1956 Yadvinder Singh donated the Anand Bhawan, a 150 bigha palace, to the Government of Punjab (before the creation of Himachal) for a holiday home for poor children, which was later leased out to Baba Ramdev for his Pitanjali Trust.Titles
1935-1938: Lieutenant Sri Yuvaraja Yadavindra Singh Sahib-ji
1938-1939: Lieutenant His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala
1939-1942: Captain His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala
1942-1944: Major His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Yadavindra Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, GBE
1944-1945: Lieutenant-Colonel His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Yadavindra Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, GBE
1945-1946: Major-General His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Yadavindra Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, GBE
1946-1974: Lieutenant-General His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Yadavindra Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, GCIE, GBE
Honours
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MaharajaSir Rajinder Singh, GCSI (25 May 1872 – 8 November 1900) was a Maharaja of the princely state of Patiala from 1876 to 1900. In 1897, he was awarded the Grand Cross of the Star of India for his bravery, by the colonial government.[1] Described as "the first reigning Prince to blend the elements of the English gentleman and Indian potentate", he implemented reforms, including endowments for a woman's hospital, orphanages, and training of troops.
He was the first Indian to own a car, in 1892, a FrenchDe Dion-Bouton as well as being the first man in India to own an aircraft.
Singh died following a riding accident. He was known for playing polo, cricket, field hockey and English billiards. The maharaja had a total of 365 wives, and defied his subjects and the British government when he married the Irish-born daughter of his horse master, persuading her to convert to the Sikh faith. He was a close friend of William Beresford and of Frederick Roberts. The Irish composer Thomas O'Brien Butler (1861–1915), who spent some time in India, dedicated a song composition to him.
The Maharaja of Patiala was a maharaja in India and the ruler of the princely state of Patiala. The first Maharaja of Patiala was Baba Ala Singh (1695–1765), who was granted the title by Ahmed Shah Abdali of Afghanistan in 1764. Following is the list of Maharajas of Patiala in order of their accession to the throne:
The most famous Maharaja of Patiala was Maharaja Bhupinder Singh (12 October 1891 – 23 March 1938). He is perhaps best known for his extravagance, and for being a cricketer. His polo and cricket teams were among the best in India. Two of his sons, Maharajadhiraj Yadavindra Singh and Raja Bhalindra Singh, both played first-class cricket. Yuvraj played in one Test for India, in 1934.
The Maharaja of Patiala was also known as the owner of the highest cricket ground in Chail and the first Indian to own a car and an aircraft. He was said to own an aircraft in 1911, the Wright brothers model B craftThe Maharaja of Patiala was also considered as leader of the Sikhs and masses of Punjab before the Partition of India. When during rainy season a seasonal river bordering the city of Patiala overflows, the incumbent Maharaja offers the river a traditional Nath, an ornament worn by women in their nose, and also thick kangans, following prayers made by priests. This was last practised in 1993, when the river breached the river defences and flooded Patiala. Yadavindra Singh became the maharaja on 23 March 1938. He was the last independent maharaja, agreeing to the accession of Patiala State into the newly independent Union of India in 1947. On 5 May 1948 he became Rajpramukh of the new Indian state of Patiala and East Punjab States Union. The present head of the royal family, the heir of Yadavindra Singh, is Captain Amarinder Singh, a politician of the Indian National Congress. His son is Raninder Singh.
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