PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY:
Founded in 1465 by Rao BIKA a son of Rao JODHA, founder of Jodhpur.
Rulers were...
- Rao BIKA 1465/1504, born 1438,
married
(amongst others),
a daughter of Rao Shaikha Bhati of Poongal, and had issue. He died 1504.
- Rao NAROJI SINGH (qv)
- Rao LUNKARANJI (qv)
- Rao GURSI, ancestor of the
Gursisir
and Ursisir families.
- Rao Umra Singh
- Rao Raj Singh
- Rao NAROJI SINGH 1504/1505, born
1468,
died 1505.
- Rao LUNKARANJI 1505/1526, born 1470,
married (amongst
others), an Udaipuri Princess, daughter of Maharana RAIMAL, and had
issue.
He died 31st March 1526.
- Rao JETSIJI SINGH (qv)
- Kunwar Ratan Singh, ancestor of
the
rulers of Mahajan.
- Kunwar Pratap Singh, died 31st
March
1526.
- Kunwar Bairsi Singh, died 31st
March
1526.
- Rani Apurva Devi [Bala Bai],
married
Raja PRITHVI
SINGH I of Amber.
- ?Rani Jatan Kunwarba Sahiba,
married
Raj Sahib RANOJI
NATHOJI of Dhrangadhra.
- Daughter, married Rawal LUNKARAN
of
Jaisalmer.
- Rao JETSIJI SINGH 1526/1542, born
1489,
married and
had issue. He died 1542.
- Rao KALYAN SINGH (qv)
- Rakumar Sheo Singh, ancestor of
the
Narnot clan.
- Rajkumar Ashpal Singh
- Rajkumar Bhim Raj, ancestor of
the
family of Rajpura.
- Daughter, married Rawal MALDEV of
Jaisalmer.
- Rao KALYAN SINGH 1542/1571, born
1519,
married and
had issue. He died 1571.
- Raja RAJ SINGH I (qv)
- Rajkumar Amar Singh
- Rajkumar Prithvi Singh, married
daughter of Rawal
HARRAJ of Jaisalmer.
- Daughter, married Rawal HARRAJ of
Jaisalmer.
- Raja RAJ SINGH I 1571/1611, born
1541,
built Junagarh Fort in Bikaner; married 1595,
daughter of Rawal HARRAJ of Jaisalmer (whose sister married Akbar, the
Mughal Emperor), and had issue. He died 1612.
- Raja DALPAT SINGH (qv)
- Raja SUR SINGH (qv)
- Rajkumar Kishan Singh, ancestor
of
the family of
Sankhu.
- Rani Dev Kunwarba Sahiba, married
Raj
Sahib RAISINHJI
MANSINHJI of Dhrangadhra.
- Daughter, married Shahzada Salim
(later Padshah Jahangir
of Delhi), and she was the mother of
Prince Parwiz of Delhi.
- Raja DALPAT SINGH 1611/1614, born
1565,
married and
had issue. He died 1614.
- Raja SUR SINGH 1614/1631, born 1595,
married and
issue. He died 1631.
- Raja KARAN SINGH 1631/1669, born
1616, Jai
Jangal
Dhar Badshah, married a lady from Rampur, and had issue. He died
1669.
- Maharaja ANUP SINGH (qv)
- Rajkumar Padam Singh, married and
had
issue.
- Maharani Prem Kunwar, married
Maharawat PRATAP SINGH
of Pratapgarh.
- Maharani Vijay Kunwar, married
Maharawat PRITHVI
SINGH of Pratapgarh.
- Rani Panna Kanwar, married Rao
KESRI SINGH of Khandela.
- Rajkumar Kesri Singh, married
Rajkumari Karuna De
of Khandela.
- Rajkumar Mohan Singh
- Maharaja ANUP SINGH 1669/1698, born
1638, Maharaja
[cr.1687], married (amongst others), Maharani Lad Kanwar of Khandela,
and
had issue. He died 1698.
- Maharaja SARUP SINGH (qv)
- Maharaja SUJAN SINGH (qv)
- Maharaj Anand Singh, married and
had
issue.
- Maharaja SARUP SINGH 1698/1700,
born
1689, died sp
1700.
- Maharaja SUJAN SINGH 1700/1736, born
1690, married
and issue. He died 1736.
- Maharaja ZORAWAR SINGH (qv)
- Maharaja ZORAWAR SINGH 1736/1745,
born
1713, married
Maharani Udai Kanwar of Khandela. He
died
1745.
- Maharaja GAJ SINGH 1745/1787, born
1723, Sri Raj
Rajeshwar Maharajadhiraj Maharaja Shiromani [cr.1752], married (amongst
others), (a) daughter of Maharawal AKHAI SINGH of Jaisalmer, married
(b)
a Princess of Jhalai, and had issue, 61 children but only six sons were
legitimate. He died 1787.
- Maharaja RAJ SINGH II (qv)
- Maharaja SURAT SINGH (by the
Jhalai
Princess) (qv)
- Maharajkumar Chattar Singh,
married
and had issue.
- Maharaj Dalel Singh, married
and
had issue.
- Maharaj Sakat Singh, married
and
had issue.
- Maharaj Shri Lall Singhji
Bahadur, married (amongst
others), (a) sister of Thakur Jivraj Singh of Rori, and had issue.
- HH Maharaja Shri DUNGAR
SINGH
(by 1st wife)(qv)
- Maj.-Gen.HH
Maharajadhiraj
Raj Rajeshwar Narendra
Siromani Maharaja Sri Sir GANGA SINGHJI Bahadur (qv)
- Maharaj Madan Singh, married
and
had issue.
- Maharaj Sri Khet Singhji
Sahib,
married and had issue.
- Col. Maharaj Sri Sir
Bhairun
Singh Bahadur, born
1879, C.S.I. [cr.1909], K.C.S.I. [cr.1916], educated at Mayo College,
Ajmer,
Vice President of Council, Bikaner State, Personal ADC to the Maharaja,
married and had issue.
- Kunwar Ajit
Singh,
married 1936, Kunwarani
Nawal Kanwar, daughter of Rawat NARYAN SINGH of Bohera.
- Maharaj Kharak Singh, married
and
had issue.
- Maharaj Makhan Singh,
married
and had issue.
- Maharaj Jaswant Singh
- Maharaj Jawan Singh
- Maharaj Nahar Singh
- Maharaj Takhat Singh
- Maharaj Khuman Singh, married
and
had issue.
- Maharajkumar Ajib Singh fl.1801
- Maharajkumar Sultan Singh
fl.1801,
married and had
issue.
- Maharaj Guman Singh, married
and
had issue.
- Maharaj Paney Singh, married
and
had issue.
- Maharaj Hamir Singh,
married
and had issue.
- Maharaj Balwant Singh
- Maharaj Jay Singh
- Maharaj Akhay Singh, married
and
had issue.
- Maharaj Dule Singh
- Maharaj Bhim Singh
- Maharaj Sheonath Singh
- Maharajkumar Shyam Singh
- Daughter, married the Raja of
Narwar.
- Maharaja RAJ SINGH II 1787 (for 13
days
only), born
1744, married (amongst others), (a) Maharani Chandan Kanwar of
Nawalgarh,
married (b), a daughter of Maharawal AKHAI SINGH of Jaisalmer, and
had issue. He died 1787.
- Maharaja PRATAP SINGH (qv)
- Maharajkumar Jai Singh
- Maharaja PRATAP SINGH 1787, born
1781,
died sp
1787.
- Maharaja SURAT SINGH 1788/1828,
born
1766, married
and had issue. He died 1828.
- Maharaja RATAN SINGH (qv)
- Maharaj Moti Singh (2nd son),
married
Rani Dip Kanwar
of Udaipur, committed sati in 1825. He died 1825.
- Daughter, married 1839, Maharana
SARDAR SINGH of
Udaipur.
- Maharaja RATAN SINGH 1828/1851,
born
1791, granted
the additional title of Narendra by the Mughal Emperor, married
(amongst
others) 1806, Maharani Raj Kanwar of Dundlod,
died 1852, and had issue. He died 7th August 1851.
- Maharaja SARDAR SINGH (qv)
- Maharaja SARDAR SINGH 1851/1872,
born
14th September
1818, married (amongst others) 12th February 1833 Maharani Pratap
Kunwari
of Pratapgarh. The British
Government
granted the Tibbi llaka/Pargana to the Maharaja in recognition of his
services
to it during the Mutiny of 1857. In 1871, Maharaja Sardar Singh
subscribed
one Lakh of Rupees to the Mayo College at Ajmer. The Civil, Criminal
and
Revenue Courts were also established then at the same time, married
(amongst
others), (a), 1832, a daughter of the Maharawat of Pratapgarh, married
(b),
1836, a niece of the Maharaja of Rewa, married (c), 13th June 1855, the
daughter of Maharaja VINAY SINGH of Alwar.
He died spl 16th May 1872.
- Kunwar Megh Singh (natural son)
- HH Maharaja Shri DUNGAR SINGH
1872/1887
, born 1854,
married 1stly, 1876, a daughter of Maharao PRAGMALJI II of Kutch,
married 2ndly, a daughter of the Thakur of Satasar. He died sp
in
August 1887.
Maj.-Gen.HH
Maharajadhiraj Raj Rajeshwar Narendra Siromani Maharaja Sri Sir GANGA
SINGHJI
Bahadur 1887/1943, born 13th October 1880 in Bikaner, K.C.I.E.
[cr.1901],
K.C.S.I. [cr.1904], G.C.S.I. [cr.1911], G.C.I.E. [cr.1907], G.C.V.O.
[cr.1919],
G.B.E. (Mil) [cr.1921], K.C.B.(Hon)(Mil) [cr.1918], LL.D. (Hon)
(Cambridge
and Edinburgh), D.C.L. (Hon) (Oxford), F.R.G.S., initially educated
privately,
then at Mayo College, Ajmer 1889/1894. From 1895 to 1898, he was put
under
the guidance of Sir Brian Egerton for administrative training, learning
the entire administrative work from that of Patwari to that of Prime
Minister.
For Military training, he was sent to Deoli in 1898 and attached to the
Deoli Regiment, which had the reputation of being one of the finest
Regiment
in India under the command of Lt. Col. Bell. He established a Chief
Court
in Bikaner in , presided over by a Chief Judge who was assisted by two
Judges. Bikaner was the first State in Rajasthan to take such a step.
He
announced the establishment of a Representative Assembly in 1913.
He later established a High Court with a Chief Justice and two
sub-judges
by an Edict in 1922. Maharaja Ganga Singhji was again the first prince
in Rajputana to have granted full charter of powers to a High Court. A
life insurance and Endowment Assurance Scheme was introduced for the
benefit
of the employees. Also, facilities of a Saving Bank were made available
to the people. He was one of the first Rulers to introduce through
legislation
Sharda Act by which child marriages were stopped. He was a Donat of
Order
of St John of Jerusalem in England, served in China in 1900, commanding
the Bikaner Camel Corps (received the KCIE and medal, mentioned in
despatches),
served during WWI in France and Egypt (receiving the KCB, rank of Hon.
Maj.-Gen., 1914 Star, Grand Cordon of Order of the Nile), awarded the
Kaiser-i-Hind
(Gold) Medal in 1900, has a personal gun salute of 19 granted in 1918
and
a permanent local gun salute of of 19 granted in 1921, Hon. ADC to HRH
Prince of Wales in 1902 and to HM in 1910, Member of the Central
Recruiting
Board-India 1917, represented India at Imperial War Conference 1917 and
at Imperial War Cabinet and Peace Conference 1919, Chancellor of Indian
Chamber of Princes 1920/26, Patron of Benares Hindu University and Sri
Bharat Dharam Mahamandal, Vice President of East India Association and
Royal Colonial Institute, Member of the Indian Gymkhana Club and Indian
Army Temperance Association, Member of General Council of Mayo and Daly
Colleges, Member of the Indian Society of Oriental Art and the Indian
Society-London
and the Bombay Natural History Society, first Member of the Indian Red
Cross Society. He married 1stly July 1897, HH Maharani Vallabhkuver
Sahiba
of Pratapgarh, she died
19th August
1906, married 2ndly, HH Maharani Sri Bhatiyaniji Sahiba of Bikampur,
and
had issue. He died 2nd February 1943 in Bombay.
- Maharajkumari Chand Kanwar, died
before 1918.
- Lt.-Gen. HH Maharajadhiraj Raj
Rajeshwar Narendra
Shiromani Maharajah Sri SADUL SINGH (qv)
- Maharajkumar Sri Bijaya Singh,
born
1909, married
and had issue. He died 1932.
- HH Maharani Dev Kunwar,
married,
3rd
May 1955, HH Maharawal
MAHIPAL SINGHJI II of Dungarpur.
- HH Maharani Lakshmi Kumari, married HH Shri
Huzur Maharaja
BHANUPRAKASH SINGHJI Sahib Bahadur of Narsinghgarh,
and has issue, five sons.
- HH Maharani Shiv Kumari [HH
Rajmata
Sahiba of Kotah],
born 1913, M.L.A. of Khanpur, District Jhalawar for one term, from 1966
to 1971, married 1930, HH Maharao Shri BHIM SINGH II of Kotah,
and has issue. (Umed Bhawan Palace, Palace Road, Kota,
Rajasthan,
India)
-
Lt.-Gen. HH Maharajadhiraj Raj
Rajeshwar Narendra
Shiromani Maharajah Sri SADUL SINGH Bahadur 1943/1950, born 7th
September
1902, succeeded 2nd February 1943 and was installed on the gaddi on 13th February 1943, married 18th April 1922, HH Maharani Sudarshan
Prasad Kumari, born 5th September 1906, died 19th December 1971, daughter of HH Maharajah Sir VENKATRAMAN PRASAD SINGH
Ju Deo
Bahadur of Rewah and his second
wife, daughter of Raja Ranjit Singh of Ratlam,
and had issue. He died
25th
September 1950.
- HH Maharajadhiraj Raj Rajeshwar
Narendra Shiromani
Maharajah Sri Dr. KARNI SINGH Bahadur (qv)
- Maharaj Amar Singh, born
11th December 1925, married 11th March 1944, Rani Manhar Kunwarba
Sahiba, daughter of Kumar Shri Bhupat Singhji of Dhrangadhra, and his
wife, the younger daughter of Kumar Shri Jawan Singhji of Nawanagar
(and niece of the
Maharaja Jam Sahib of Nawanagar), and had issue.
- Maharaj Chandra Shekhar Singh,
married and has issue.
- HH Maharajadhiraj Raj
Rajeshwar
Narendra Shiromani
Maharajah Sri RAVI RAJ SINGH Bahadur (qv)
- Rajkumari Hemangini Kumari, (Yuvarani
Hema Kumari), married (div. 2003), Maharaj Kumar Yuvaraj Himshu Sinhji,
born
30th
December 1966, Yuvraj of Gondal, son of HH Maharaja Jyotindra Sinhji
of Gondal and HH Maharani Kumud Kumari.
- Maharaj Rajesh Singh, married and has issue.
- Rajkumari Shriridhi Kumari
- HH Maharani Sushila Kunwariji,
married 1940, HH Maharana
BHAGWAT SINGH of Udaipur and had
issue.
She died 5th November 1999 in Udaipur.
-
HH Maharajadhiraj Raj Rajeshwar
Narendra Shiromani
Maharajah Sri Dr. KARNI SINGH Bahadur 1950/1988, born 21st April 1924.
His preliminary schooling was completed
in Bikaner, then at St.
Stephens
College, Delhi, at St Xavier's College, Bombay, [BA (Hons) (History and
Politics)]; at Bombay University PhD, 1964 for his thesis 'Relationship
of Bikaner Royal Family with Central Authority (1465-1949)'. He was
elected
Member of Parliament from 1952 to 1977 Lok Sabha (Indian
Parliament),
served on various consultative comittees of different ministries.
Recreations
include.. tennis; shooting (he was a world renowned shooter, as an
outstanding
player, he participated in many Olympic and Asian Games in clay pigeon
shooting; National Champion in clay pigeon traps and skeet for many
years;
represented India, clay pigeon shooting, Olympic Games: Rome, 1960,
Pre-Olympics,
Tokyo, 1963, Tokyo, 1964 (Captain), Mexico, 1968, Munich, 1972, Moscow,
1980 World Shooting Championships Oslo, 1961; Cairo (Captain) , 1962
(2nd
in world after tie for 1st place); Wiesbaden, 1966 (Captain); Bologna,
1967; San Sebastian, Spain, 1969; Asian Shooting Championships Tokyo,
1967;
Seoul, 1971 (Captain, Gold Medal); Won Clay Pigeon Welsh Grand Prix, N
Wales Cup and NW England Cup, 1981; Asian Games, Tehran, 1974 (Silver
Medal);
Kuala Lumpur 1975 (Silver Medal)); golf; flying (qualified for private
pilot's licence); cricket; mechanics; photography; oil painting.
Clubs include Royal Wimbledon Golf; Clay Pigeon Shooting Assoc., Essex
(Hon. Life Vice-Pres.); Willingdon Sports, Cricket Club of india,
Bombay
Flying, Bombay Presidency Golf, Western India Automobile Association
(Bombay);
Delhi Golf (Delhi); National Sports Club of India. He was an ardent
supporter
of Rajathani Language and pleaded for its inclusion in the 14th
schedule
of Indian Constitution. Awards include.. Insignia Grand Commander:
Order
of Vikram Star (Bikaner), Order of Sadul Star (Bikaner), Order of Star
of Honour (Bikaner); Africa Star; War Medal; India Service Medal,
'ARJUNA
AWARD' for shooting sports in 1962. Member of the Asiatic Society of
India
and the Bombay Natural History Society, married 25th February 1944, HH
Maharani Sushila Kumari of Dungarpur
and has issue, one son and two daughters. He died 4th September
1988.
- HH Maharajadhiraj Raj Rajeshwar
Narendra Shiromani
Maharajah Sri NARENDRA SINGH Bahadur (qv)
- Maharajkumar Daljit Singh
-
Maharaj
Kumari Rajyashree Kumari [née Kumari Ratja Devi], born 4th June
1953 in Bombay. She stands
unrivalled
in target shooting. At the age of seven she had the unique distinction
of winning the National Air Rifle Championship in the under twelve
years
of age junior section. Furthermore, and significantly, the Princess
beat
all competitors in all age group in air rifle shooting and won
the
open championship trophy first at the age of ten and then again at the
age of twelve. At the age of 14 at the All India Selection Trials held
at Ahmedabad during the year 1967 she set a new All India record of
358/400
in Air Rifle Shooting by beating her nearest rival by a big margin of
33
points. She was declared "Sports Person of the year" and was awarded
the
much-coveted "ARJUNA AWARD" in 1969 when she was only 16 years
old.
This award is the highest acclaim that India can give to its sportsmen
and sportswomen for outstanding achievement. She comes from a very long
line of great shooters. At the 13th National Shooting Championship held
in Madras in 1968, Princess Rajyashree Kumari at the age of 15 won all
the items in which she entered and won the largest number of gold
medals
in shooting. When she was only 17, she established National
Record
scoring 92 out of 100 in Trap shooting (I.R.) at the National Shooting
Championship in 1970 which is still unbeaten. National Champion in All
India Ladies Clay Pigeon Trap Shooting Championships. At the National
Shooting
Championship at Chandigarh in 1975 the Princess on Second place in Trap
Shooting, beating all male competitors, (her father Dr. Karni Singh,
won
first place), married 19th February 1973, Kumar Shri Mayurdhwaj
Sinhji Gohel, son of Sir Jayvant Sinhji
Gohel of Palitana, and has
issue, a daughter, and a son.
- Kumari Shri
Anupama Kumari, born 24th April 1974.
- Kumar Shri
Sajjan Singh Gohil, born 16th May 1980.
- Maharaj Kumari Madhulika Kumari,
born 9th August 1956, married 10th December 1974, Yuvaraj Rajveer
Sinhji, son of Thakur Sahib Bhupendra Sinhji of Malia and Thakurani Dilhar Kumari, eldest
daughter of Shrimant Raja MAHENDRA SINGH Ju Deo of Nagod, and has
issue, one son.
-
HH Maharajadhiraj Raj
Rajeshwar
Narendra Shiromani
Maharajah Sri NARENDRA SINGH Bahadur 1988/2003, born 13th January 1946,
succeeded 4th September 1988, installed on the gaddi on 29th September 1988,
married 27th April 1971 at New Delhi,
Rajkumari Padma Kumari of Chamba,
[HH Maharani Padma Kumari of Bikaner], born 1st January 1953 at Chamba,
and had issue, 3 daughters.
He died 24th October 2003 at Delhi, cremated the next day at Devi
Kund Sagar on the outskirts of Bikaner town.
- Maharajkumari Dakshya Kumari, born 13th July 1972, died
June 2000.
- Maharajkumari Siddhi Kumari, born 6th October 1973.
- Maharajkumari Mahima Kumari, born 23rd December 1975,
married April 1997, Sunit Sharma, and is settled in
New Delhi.
- HH Maharajadhiraj Raj Rajeshwar
Narendra Shiromani
Maharajah Sri RAVI RAJ SINGH Bahadur (qv)
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