Rajpramukh
Encyclopedia
Rajpramukh was an administrative title in India
which existed from India's independence in 1947 until 1956. Rajpramukhs were the appointed governors of certain of India's provinces and states.
The British Indian Empire
, which included most of present-day India
, Pakistan
, and Bangladesh
, was made up of two types of political units. British India consisted of fifteen provinces, all British possessions, ruled directly by the British in all respects, either through a Governor or a Chief Commissioner, officials appointed by the Viceroy. Existing alongside British India were a large number of princely states, ruled by local hereditary rulers, who acknowledged British suzerainty
, including British control of their external affairs, but who retained local autonomy. At the time of the proclamation of Queen Victoria as Empress of India in 1877, more than 700 Indian princely states and territories enjoyed treaty relations with the British Crown. The exact relationship between the Government of India (controlled by the British) and these states varied enormously, ranging from treaties of alliance, defence, protection, or supervision to almost outright control. The British Crown assumed control of British India from the East India Company
in 1857 and thereafter controlled the internal governance through a Secretary of State for India
in London
and a Viceroy in India.
The hundreds of princely states varied greatly in size, from Hyderabad
, with a population of over ten million, to tiny states. Most of the rulers of the princely states worked closely with a British political Agent who was responsible to the governor of a British province, but the four largest princely states, Hyderabad, Baroda
, Mysore
, and Jammu and Kashmir
, had Residents directly under the authority of the viceroy. Two agencies, the Central India Agency
and Rajputana Agency
, were made up of numerous princely states, and their political Agents were appointed by the Viceroy.
of His Majesty's government over the Indian states lapsed as per 7(b) of the India Independence Act 1947, and with it all treaties between the British Government and the Indian states also had a legal quietus. The Rulers of the Indian States became sovereign rulers from 18 July 1947, and in principle they were free to accede to either of the two dominions or to remain independent. As per the provisions of the Act, on 15 August 1947 two independent dominions of India and Pakistan were established. The leaders in the Indian Independence movement put strong pressure on the Indian rulers to accede their states to the Dominion of India
. By 15 August 1947 virtually all of the Rulers had signed an Instrument of Accession
with the Governor-General of India
, giving power to the dominion government to make laws on the three subjects of foreign policy, communication and defense, and otherwise they remained sovereign rulers. These Rulers also signed another agreement known as the "Stand Still Agreement", to provide continuity to any existing agreements between British India and their States.
Three Indian states namely Hyderabad
, Jammu and Kashmir
, and Junagadh
, failed to accede to either of the dominions. Jammu together with parts of Kashmir was incorporated into India after the Maharaja Hari Singh
was forced to seek Indian military intervention against the marauding Pakistani sponsored tribal lords (Afridis). In time, the two remaining states of Hyderabad and Junagadh were invaded and annexed by India.
In 1948 the Maharaja of Gwalior signed a covenant with the rulers of the adjoining princely states to form a new state known as Madhya Bharat
. This new covenanting state was to be governed by a council of the rulers with a head known as Rajpramukh. This new state signed a fresh Instrument of Accession with the Indian dominion. Subsequently many other Indian states merged with their neighboring Indian states on the same lines to form the covenanting states known as Vindhya Pradesh
, Patiala and East Punjab States Union
(PEPSU), Rajputana
, etc.
ruled by a governor appointed by the Indian president.
As per Art.366 of the Indian Constitution ( as it existed in 1950):
Art 366(21): Rajpramukh means-
(a) in relation to the States of Hyderabad, the person for the time being is recognised by the President as Nizam of Hyderabad.;
(b) in relation to the State of Jammu and Kashmir or the State of Mysore, the person who for the time being is recognized by the President as the Maharaja of that State; and
(c) in relation to any other State specified in Part B of the First Schedule, the person who for the time being is recognized by the President as the Rajpramukh of that State, and includes in relation to any of the said States any person for the time being recognized by the President as competent to exercise the powers of the Rajpramukh in relation to that State.
The eight Part B states were Hyderabad, Saurashtra, Mysore, Travancore-Cochin, Madhya Bharat, Vindhya Pradesh, Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU), and Rajasthan.
was merged with Ajmer-Merwara
state to become Rajasthan
; Hyderabad was partitioned among Mysore, Andhra Pradesh
, and Bombay state
; Saurashtra was merged into Bombay state; Travancore-Cochin
was merged with Malabar district
to form the new state of Kerala
; Madhya Bharat
and Vindhya Pradesh
were merged into Madhya Pradesh
; Patiala and East Punjab States Union
(PEPSU) was merged into Punjab state, and Mysore state
was enlarged with the addition of Coorg state and parts of Bombay,Madras and Hyderabad states.
By 1956, the system of voluntary unions of states was dismantled and the position of Rajpramukh abolished. New states were created along linguistic and ethnic lines, which tore apart the traditional ties that existed in the former princely states. As the princely rulers died one by one more time was being taken before their successors were recognized by the Government of India. When they were recognized it was usually after they were persuaded to accept lower privy purses or reductions in privileges. But many influential Maharajahs and Maharanis were not content with being mere nominal title holders enjoying privileges. They started contesting in General elections either Independently or by joining political parties. Growing popularity and success of many of the Indian Royalty in the hustings particularly Maharani Gayatri Devi of Jaipur and Raja Matha of Gwalior, Viajya Raje Sindhia among others was not to the liking of Mrs. Gandhi who had become prime Minister by 1966. By 1969 Indian National congress had split in to Congress (Organization) and Congress(Ruling). Congress (R) was headed by Mrs. Gandhi and to score public support she coined slogans like Garibi Hatao (Stop Poverty) which included promise to abolish Royal order. She de-recognized all the Maharajs by a presidential order in 1969. But this was struck down by the Supreme Court of India. Eventually, the government by the 26Th Amendment to the constitution was successful in abolishing the Princely order. This process was completed by the end of 1971. Though a challenge to this amendment to the constitution was challenged in the Supreme Court, the court neither heard the matter immediately or gave any relief to the Rulers. The case was ultimately decided against the Rulers by as late as in 1993, by which time it had become fait-accompli. They have since only enjoyed their traditional styles and titles on a social basis and adopted themselves well. Former Royaty like Capt. Amarinder singh- Maharaja of Patiala, Maharani Vasundhara Raje Sindhi of Dholpur even rose to post of Chief Ministers of Punjab and Rajasthan respectively till recently. Many others like V.P Singh, Digvijay Singh, Srikanata Datta Narasimha Raja Wadiyar, Late Madahva Rao Sindhia & his son, Arjun Singh, and many others have been active politics and been Prime Minister,Governors, Ministers, MLA's and MP's for some time.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
which existed from India's independence in 1947 until 1956. Rajpramukhs were the appointed governors of certain of India's provinces and states.
The British Indian Empire
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
, which included most of present-day India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, and Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, was made up of two types of political units. British India consisted of fifteen provinces, all British possessions, ruled directly by the British in all respects, either through a Governor or a Chief Commissioner, officials appointed by the Viceroy. Existing alongside British India were a large number of princely states, ruled by local hereditary rulers, who acknowledged British suzerainty
Suzerainty
Suzerainty occurs where a region or people is a tributary to a more powerful entity which controls its foreign affairs while allowing the tributary vassal state some limited domestic autonomy. The dominant entity in the suzerainty relationship, or the more powerful entity itself, is called a...
, including British control of their external affairs, but who retained local autonomy. At the time of the proclamation of Queen Victoria as Empress of India in 1877, more than 700 Indian princely states and territories enjoyed treaty relations with the British Crown. The exact relationship between the Government of India (controlled by the British) and these states varied enormously, ranging from treaties of alliance, defence, protection, or supervision to almost outright control. The British Crown assumed control of British India from the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
in 1857 and thereafter controlled the internal governance through a Secretary of State for India
Secretary of State for India
The Secretary of State for India, or India Secretary, was the British Cabinet minister responsible for the government of India and the political head of the India Office...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and a Viceroy in India.
The hundreds of princely states varied greatly in size, from Hyderabad
Hyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
, with a population of over ten million, to tiny states. Most of the rulers of the princely states worked closely with a British political Agent who was responsible to the governor of a British province, but the four largest princely states, Hyderabad, Baroda
Vadodara
Vadodara formerly known as Baroda is the third most populated city in the Indian State of Gujarat . It is one of the four cities with the population of over 1 million...
, Mysore
Kingdom of Mysore
The Kingdom of Mysore was a kingdom of southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. The kingdom, which was ruled by the Wodeyar family, initially served as a vassal state of the Vijayanagara Empire...
, and Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
, had Residents directly under the authority of the viceroy. Two agencies, the Central India Agency
Central India Agency
The Central India Agency was a political office of the British Indian Empire, which covered the northern half of present-day Madhya Pradesh state. The Central India Agency was made up entirely of princely states, which were under native rulers...
and Rajputana Agency
Rajputana
Rājputāna was the pre-1949 name of the present-day Indian state of Rājasthān, the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area. George Thomas was the first in 1800 A.D., to term this region as Rajputana...
, were made up of numerous princely states, and their political Agents were appointed by the Viceroy.
After Indian Independence, 1947-1950
On 20 February 1947, His majesty's Government announced its intention to transfer power in British India to Indian hands by June 1948. However, the Cabinet Mission Plan on 16 May 1947 failed to evolve a constitution for India acceptable to all contending parties. In the circumstance, His majesty's Government announced on 3 June 1947 its intention to partition British India into two dominions. On 15 July 1947, the House of Commons passed the India Independence Bill 1947, to facilitate this division of the British possessions in India into the dominions of India and Pakistan. The House of Lords followed suit the next day. The Bill received the Royal assent on 18 July 1947. From this day the suzeraintySuzerainty
Suzerainty occurs where a region or people is a tributary to a more powerful entity which controls its foreign affairs while allowing the tributary vassal state some limited domestic autonomy. The dominant entity in the suzerainty relationship, or the more powerful entity itself, is called a...
of His Majesty's government over the Indian states lapsed as per 7(b) of the India Independence Act 1947, and with it all treaties between the British Government and the Indian states also had a legal quietus. The Rulers of the Indian States became sovereign rulers from 18 July 1947, and in principle they were free to accede to either of the two dominions or to remain independent. As per the provisions of the Act, on 15 August 1947 two independent dominions of India and Pakistan were established. The leaders in the Indian Independence movement put strong pressure on the Indian rulers to accede their states to the Dominion of India
Dominion of India
The Dominion of India, also known as the Union of India or the Indian Union , was a predecessor to modern-day India and an independent state that existed between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950...
. By 15 August 1947 virtually all of the Rulers had signed an Instrument of Accession
Instrument of Accession
The Instrument of Accession was a legal document created in 1947 to enable each of the rulers of the princely states under British suzerainty to join one of the new dominions of India or Pakistan created by the Partition of British India.-Background:...
with the Governor-General of India
Governor-General of India
The Governor-General of India was the head of the British administration in India, and later, after Indian independence, the representative of the monarch and de facto head of state. The office was created in 1773, with the title of Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William...
, giving power to the dominion government to make laws on the three subjects of foreign policy, communication and defense, and otherwise they remained sovereign rulers. These Rulers also signed another agreement known as the "Stand Still Agreement", to provide continuity to any existing agreements between British India and their States.
Three Indian states namely Hyderabad
Hyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
, Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
, and Junagadh
Junagadh
Junagadh is the headquarters of Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. The city is the 7th largest in Gujarat. The city is located at the foot of the Girnar hills, 355 km south west of state capital Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad. The city is in western India. Literally translated,...
, failed to accede to either of the dominions. Jammu together with parts of Kashmir was incorporated into India after the Maharaja Hari Singh
Hari Singh
Maharaja Hari Singh was the last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir in India.He was married four times...
was forced to seek Indian military intervention against the marauding Pakistani sponsored tribal lords (Afridis). In time, the two remaining states of Hyderabad and Junagadh were invaded and annexed by India.
In 1948 the Maharaja of Gwalior signed a covenant with the rulers of the adjoining princely states to form a new state known as Madhya Bharat
Madhya Bharat
Madhya Bharat , also known as Malwa Union was an Indian state in west-central India, created on 28 May 1948 from twenty-five princely states which until 1947 had been part of the Central India Agency, with Jivaji Rao Scindia as its Rajpramukh...
. This new covenanting state was to be governed by a council of the rulers with a head known as Rajpramukh. This new state signed a fresh Instrument of Accession with the Indian dominion. Subsequently many other Indian states merged with their neighboring Indian states on the same lines to form the covenanting states known as Vindhya Pradesh
Vindhya Pradesh
Vindhya Pradesh is a former state of India. It occupied an area of 23,603 sq. miles. It was created in 1948, shortly after Indian independence, from the territories of the princely states in the eastern portion of the former Central India Agency. It was named for the Vindhya Range, which runs...
, Patiala and East Punjab States Union
Patiala and East Punjab States Union
The Patiala and East Punjab States Union was a state of India from 1948-56. It was created by combining eight princely states: Patiala, Jind, Nabha, Kapurthala, Faridkot, Kalsia, Malerkotla and Nalagarh. The state was inaugurated on July 15, 1948 and formally became a state of India in 1950. The...
(PEPSU), Rajputana
Rajputana
Rājputāna was the pre-1949 name of the present-day Indian state of Rājasthān, the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area. George Thomas was the first in 1800 A.D., to term this region as Rajputana...
, etc.
Rajpramukhs in the Indian Republic, 1950-1956
In the intervening period the Dominion Government of India had set up a Constitution Assembly to formulate a new Constitution for India. Simultaneously each of the Independent Indian rulers and Rajpramukhs of Covenanting states had set up Constituent Assemblies for their respective states and also sent their representatives to the Constituent Assembly of India so as to make uniform laws for their respective states. The thinking among the India Leaders at that time was that each Princely state or Covenanting State would remain independent as a Federal state along the lines suggested originally by the 1935 Act. But as the drafting of the constitution progressed and the idea of forming a republic took concrete shape, it was decided that all the Princely states/Covenanting States would merge with the Indian republic, and all the Maharajas would be provided with a Privy Purse and Privileges as enjoyed by them on 15 Aug 1947 by constitutional guarantees. Hence Art. 294, Art 362, Art 366, Art 363 were incorporated. Besides it was also decided that the Maharaja of Mysore, the Maharaja of Jammu & Kashmir, the Nizam of Hyderabad, and the Rajpramukhs of the Covenanting states would continue to be the constitutional Heads of their respective states. By 26 October 1949 the constituent assembly had finalized a new constitution for India and all the Acceding Indian States and the Covenanting states merged with the New Republic of India. In accordance with constitutional provisions all the Maharajas entered in to another agreement with the Governor General of India to provide for the specific privy purse amount, the right to their personal properties (as distinct from state properties), and the right to succession in accordance with the practice in their territories. These agreements were entered into before 26 January 1950 so as to bring them within the ambit of Art. 363. On 26 January 1950, India became a republic. The new constitution created four types of administrative divisions in India: nine Part A states, the former British provinces, which were ruled by an elected governor and state legislature; eight Part B states, former Princely states or groups of Covenanting states, which were governed by a Rajpramukh; ten Part C states, including both former princely states and provinces, which were governed by a chief commissioner; and a union territoryUnion Territory
A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative division of India, in the federal framework of governance. Unlike the states of India, which have their own elected governments, union territories are ruled directly by the federal government; the President of India appoints an Administrator or...
ruled by a governor appointed by the Indian president.
As per Art.366 of the Indian Constitution ( as it existed in 1950):
Art 366(21): Rajpramukh means-
(a) in relation to the States of Hyderabad, the person for the time being is recognised by the President as Nizam of Hyderabad.;
(b) in relation to the State of Jammu and Kashmir or the State of Mysore, the person who for the time being is recognized by the President as the Maharaja of that State; and
(c) in relation to any other State specified in Part B of the First Schedule, the person who for the time being is recognized by the President as the Rajpramukh of that State, and includes in relation to any of the said States any person for the time being recognized by the President as competent to exercise the powers of the Rajpramukh in relation to that State.
The eight Part B states were Hyderabad, Saurashtra, Mysore, Travancore-Cochin, Madhya Bharat, Vindhya Pradesh, Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU), and Rajasthan.
Governing Rajpramukhs, 1948-1956
- Hyderabad StateHyderabad State-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
had its last Nizam, Fath Jang Mir Osman Ali Khan (b. 1886 -d. 1967) as Rajpramukh from 26 January 1950 to 31 October 1956. - Patiala and East Punjab States UnionPatiala and East Punjab States UnionThe Patiala and East Punjab States Union was a state of India from 1948-56. It was created by combining eight princely states: Patiala, Jind, Nabha, Kapurthala, Faridkot, Kalsia, Malerkotla and Nalagarh. The state was inaugurated on July 15, 1948 and formally became a state of India in 1950. The...
had MaharajaMaharajaMahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...
Yadavindra Singh (b. 1913 -d. 1974), the Maharaja of PatialaMaharaja of PatialaThe Maharaja of Patiala was a maharaja in India and the ruler of the princely state of Patiala in Punjab. The first Maharaja of Patiala was Baba Ala Singh , who was granted the title by Ahmed Shah Abdali of Afghanistan in 1764....
, as Rajpramukh. - Saurashtra had Sir Krishnakumarsinhji BhavsinhjiBhavnagar-Topography:Bhavnagar is a coastal city in the eastern coast of Saurashtra, also known as Kathiawar, located at . It has an average elevation of 24 metres . It occupies area of 53.30 km². General slope dips in the northeasterly direction at the apex of Gulf of Khambhat...
(b. 1912 -d. 1965), the former Maharaja of BhavnagarBhavnagar-Topography:Bhavnagar is a coastal city in the eastern coast of Saurashtra, also known as Kathiawar, located at . It has an average elevation of 24 metres . It occupies area of 53.30 km². General slope dips in the northeasterly direction at the apex of Gulf of Khambhat...
, and Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja(b. 1895 -d. 1966), the former Maharaja of Nawanagar, as acting and regular Rajpramukh respectively. Meanwhile Maharana Maharaja Shri Raj Mayurdhwajsinhji Meghrajji III Ghanshyamsinghji SahibMeghrajji III of Dhrangadhra-HalvadMaharaja Mayurdwajsinhji Meghrajji III was the last ruling Maharaja of Dhrangadhra Halvad. He was a well-known academic, politician, member of several distinguished academic bodies, and one of the last surviving rulers of the former princely states of the Indian Empire...
, the former Maharaja of Dhrangadhra, on the establishment of the United State of Kathiawar (Saurashtra) in 1948, was installed as Uprajpramukh (Deputy Rajpramukh) and he served as Acting Rajpramukh during the absence of the Rajpramukh. - MysoreMysore StateThe Kingdom of Mysore was one of the three largest princely states within the erstwhile British Empire of India. Upon India gaining its independence in 1947, the Maharaja of Mysore merged his realm with the Union of India...
had its last Maharaja, Jayachamaraja Wodeyar BahadurJayachamaraja Wodeyar BahadurJayachamaraja Wodeyar Bahadur was the 25th and the last Maharaja of the princely state of Mysore from 1940 to 1950. He was a noted philosopher, musicologist, political thinker and philanthropist.-Biography:...
(b. 1919 -d. 1974) as Rajpramukh. He continued as Governor from 1 November 1956 to 4 May 1964. He held office as Governor of Tamil NaduTamil NaduTamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
(then known as Madras State) from 4 May 1964 to 26 June 1966. - Travancore-CochinTravancore-CochinTravancore-Cochin or Thiru-Kochi is a former state of India . It was created on 1 July 1949 by the merger of two former princely states, the kingdoms of Travancore and Cochin....
state had the last Maharaja of Travancore, Sir Bala Rama Varma IIChithira Thirunal Balarama VarmaChithira Thirunal Maharaja was the last ruling maharaja of the princely state of Travancore, in southern India...
(b. 1912 -d. 1991) as Rajpramukh from 1 Jul 1949 - 31 Oct 1956. - Madhya BharatMadhya BharatMadhya Bharat , also known as Malwa Union was an Indian state in west-central India, created on 28 May 1948 from twenty-five princely states which until 1947 had been part of the Central India Agency, with Jivaji Rao Scindia as its Rajpramukh...
had the last Maharaja of Gwalior, Sir George Jivaji Rao Scindia (b. 1916 -d. 1961) as Rajpramukh from 28 May 1948 to 31st Oct 1956. - RajasthanRajasthanRājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
had two Rajpramukhs, Sir Bhim Singh IIBhim Singh II of KotahMaharaja Bhim Singh II was the last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Kotah from 1940 to 1947.-Early career:...
(b. 1909 -d. 1991), the former Maharao of Kota, from 25 March 1948 to 18 April 1948 and Sir Bhopal Singh (b. 1884 -d. 1955), the former Maharaja of Udaipur, from 18 April 1948 - 1 April 1949. The latter continued with the designation of Maha Rajpramukh from 1 April 1949 to 4 July 1955. The Maharana of UdaipurUdaipur, RajasthanUdaipur , also known as the City of Lakes, is a city, a Municipal Council and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in the state of Rajasthan in western India. It is located southwest of the state capital, Jaipur, west of Kota, and northeast from Ahmedabad...
was appointed as Rajpramukh and Kota Naresh was appointed as Up- Rajpramukh of Union of many former princely states of Rajasthan, and subsequently Maharana Bhupal Singh of Udaipur was appointed as the Maha-Rajpramukh and the Kota Naresh was appointed as the Up- Rajpramukh. - Vindhya PradeshVindhya PradeshVindhya Pradesh is a former state of India. It occupied an area of 23,603 sq. miles. It was created in 1948, shortly after Indian independence, from the territories of the princely states in the eastern portion of the former Central India Agency. It was named for the Vindhya Range, which runs...
had Martand Singh (b. 1923 - d. 1995), the former Maharaja of Rewa, during 1948-49, then passing under the administration of a Chief Commissioner.
After 1956
On November 1, 1956, the States Reorganization Act took effect, which erased the distinction between parts A, B, and C states, and reorganized state boundaries along linguistic lines. Of the Part B states, RajputanaRajputana
Rājputāna was the pre-1949 name of the present-day Indian state of Rājasthān, the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area. George Thomas was the first in 1800 A.D., to term this region as Rajputana...
was merged with Ajmer-Merwara
Ajmer-Merwara
Ajmer-Merwara is a former province of British India in the historical Ajmer region. The territory of the province was ceded to the British by Daulat Rao Sindhia by a treaty on June 25, 1818....
state to become Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
; Hyderabad was partitioned among Mysore, Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
, and Bombay state
Bombay State
The Bombay State was a state of India, dissolved with the formation of Maharashtra and Gujarat states on May 1, 1960.-History:During British rule, portions of the western coast of India under direct British rule were part of the Bombay Presidency...
; Saurashtra was merged into Bombay state; Travancore-Cochin
Travancore-Cochin
Travancore-Cochin or Thiru-Kochi is a former state of India . It was created on 1 July 1949 by the merger of two former princely states, the kingdoms of Travancore and Cochin....
was merged with Malabar district
Malabar District
Malabar District was an administrative district of Madras Presidency in British India and independent India's Madras State. The British district included the present-day districts of Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad , and Chavakad Taluk of Thrissur District in the northern part of...
to form the new state of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
; Madhya Bharat
Madhya Bharat
Madhya Bharat , also known as Malwa Union was an Indian state in west-central India, created on 28 May 1948 from twenty-five princely states which until 1947 had been part of the Central India Agency, with Jivaji Rao Scindia as its Rajpramukh...
and Vindhya Pradesh
Vindhya Pradesh
Vindhya Pradesh is a former state of India. It occupied an area of 23,603 sq. miles. It was created in 1948, shortly after Indian independence, from the territories of the princely states in the eastern portion of the former Central India Agency. It was named for the Vindhya Range, which runs...
were merged into Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
; Patiala and East Punjab States Union
Patiala and East Punjab States Union
The Patiala and East Punjab States Union was a state of India from 1948-56. It was created by combining eight princely states: Patiala, Jind, Nabha, Kapurthala, Faridkot, Kalsia, Malerkotla and Nalagarh. The state was inaugurated on July 15, 1948 and formally became a state of India in 1950. The...
(PEPSU) was merged into Punjab state, and Mysore state
Mysore State
The Kingdom of Mysore was one of the three largest princely states within the erstwhile British Empire of India. Upon India gaining its independence in 1947, the Maharaja of Mysore merged his realm with the Union of India...
was enlarged with the addition of Coorg state and parts of Bombay,Madras and Hyderabad states.
By 1956, the system of voluntary unions of states was dismantled and the position of Rajpramukh abolished. New states were created along linguistic and ethnic lines, which tore apart the traditional ties that existed in the former princely states. As the princely rulers died one by one more time was being taken before their successors were recognized by the Government of India. When they were recognized it was usually after they were persuaded to accept lower privy purses or reductions in privileges. But many influential Maharajahs and Maharanis were not content with being mere nominal title holders enjoying privileges. They started contesting in General elections either Independently or by joining political parties. Growing popularity and success of many of the Indian Royalty in the hustings particularly Maharani Gayatri Devi of Jaipur and Raja Matha of Gwalior, Viajya Raje Sindhia among others was not to the liking of Mrs. Gandhi who had become prime Minister by 1966. By 1969 Indian National congress had split in to Congress (Organization) and Congress(Ruling). Congress (R) was headed by Mrs. Gandhi and to score public support she coined slogans like Garibi Hatao (Stop Poverty) which included promise to abolish Royal order. She de-recognized all the Maharajs by a presidential order in 1969. But this was struck down by the Supreme Court of India. Eventually, the government by the 26Th Amendment to the constitution was successful in abolishing the Princely order. This process was completed by the end of 1971. Though a challenge to this amendment to the constitution was challenged in the Supreme Court, the court neither heard the matter immediately or gave any relief to the Rulers. The case was ultimately decided against the Rulers by as late as in 1993, by which time it had become fait-accompli. They have since only enjoyed their traditional styles and titles on a social basis and adopted themselves well. Former Royaty like Capt. Amarinder singh- Maharaja of Patiala, Maharani Vasundhara Raje Sindhi of Dholpur even rose to post of Chief Ministers of Punjab and Rajasthan respectively till recently. Many others like V.P Singh, Digvijay Singh, Srikanata Datta Narasimha Raja Wadiyar, Late Madahva Rao Sindhia & his son, Arjun Singh, and many others have been active politics and been Prime Minister,Governors, Ministers, MLA's and MP's for some time.