Shri Bhim Singh II Bahadur
BIO-DATA of Brigadier His Highness Maharao Sir BHIM SINGH II Bahadur, KCSI, LL.D, Maharao of Kotah.
Full Title
Brigadier His Highness Mahimahendra Maharajadhiraj Maharao Raja Shri BHIM SINGH II
Bahadur, KCSI, LL.D, Maharao of Kotah
Clan
Hada Chauhan
Born
14 September 1909
He was the only child of H.H. Maharao Sir Umed Singh II Bahadur, Maharao of Kotah.
Education
Went to Mayo College, Ajmer, from 1921 to 1930. He was a good student and passed out in the Post Diploma Examination (Equivalent to B.A.) with honours. He was the head Monitor in the College and was College Cricket Captain, holding colours in Cricket and Tennis.
Trained under his father and the Diwans of Kotah State in the administration of State.
Marriage
Married Princess SHIV KUMARI of Bikaner on 30 April 1930, daughter of H.H. Maharaja Sir Ganga Singh Bahadur, Maharajah of Bikaner.
Children and grand-children
Son and heir, Prince BRIJRAJ SINGH Bahadur, born 21 February 1934.
Daughter, Princess INDIRA KUMARI, born 22 October 1937
Daughter, Princess BHUVANESHWARI KUMARI, bon 29 May 1945.
He has a grandson, Prince IJYARAJ SINGH Bahadur, born 9 February 1965 and a grand-daughter, Princess BHAWANI KUMARI, born 19 October 1967 from his son and daughter-in-law.
He also has four other grand-children, two each from his two daughters.
Succession to Gaddi and Rule
Became the 17th Ruler of Kotah on 27 December 1940 (on the death of his father, H.H. Maharao Sir Umed Singh II)
He was invested with FULL RULLING POWERS on 5 March 1941 in a Special Kharita Durbar at Kotah by the A.G.G Sir Arthur Lothian.
He were one of the progressive Rulers who were in the forefront in the political process for the Merger of Indian States into larger unions. He ruled till March 1948, when Kotah State merged to form the 1stUnion of Rajasthan, with several other States of Rajputana, and became the Rajpramukh.
Honours
Awarded K.C.S.I. on 1 January 1947.
Awarded Degree of Law (Honouris Causa) by the University of Rajasthan in 1958.
Awarded Arjun Award for Sports (Clay Pigeon Skeet Shooting) in 1971 by the President of India.
Awarded 5th Rashtradoot Prize for Eminent Sportsman (Shooting) of Rajasthan 1982.
President Emeritus, Mayo College General Council, Ajmer, since 1983.
Awarded Prize by the State Board of Sports, Rajasthan, (for Shooting) 1984.
Military Service
Commander-in-Chief of the Kotah State Forces.
Commander in rank of Honorary Major in the Indian Army – 1942.
Commander in rank of Honorary Lt. Col. in the Indian Army – 1944.
Commander in rank of Honorary Brigadier in the Indian Army – 1948.
Visited Kotah 1st Umed Infantry serving in the Persia and Iraq Theatre of Operations in 1944 during World War II.
Visited Kotah 1st Umed Infantry serving in the J. & K. Theatre of Operations in 1948.
Honorary Colonel of 17 Horse (POONA HORSE) FROM 1952 onwards.
Medals
The Silver Jubilee Medal 1935.
The Coronation Medal 1937.
The War Medal 1939-1945,
Coronation Medal 1937.
Area of State
5,725 sq.m.
Positions held
Other activities
(a)Philanthropist
Donated Rs. 1,50,000/- to the Benares Hindu University in 1944.
Donated Rs. 7,00,000/- for the establishment of the M.B.S. Hospital at Kota in 1949.
Donated Rs. 1,25,000/- for the Somnath Temple in 1950.
Established the History Chair in the Rajasthan University, Jaipur, by donating Rs. 1,75,000/- in 1952.
Donated 10,000/- sq.ft. of land free of cost for the establishment of the Bal Mandir, Kota.
Awarded numerous scholarships to the deserving students of the Hadoti region and to the dependents of 17 Horse of which he was the Honorary Colonel.
(b) Wild Game Hunter and Photographer
Was a very Keen shikari since early days.
An excellent shot with both rifle and gun. He has numerous Wild Life Tropies to his credit.
Devoted a lot of his life in filming and photographing Wild Life. Has a collection of rare wild movies and photographs.
(c) Conservationist
Turned into an avid Game Conservationist after 1950.
Gave away his personal shikar gah (game preserve) to be turned into the Darah Wild Game Sanctuary by the Government of Rajasthan in 1952.
His rich Knowledge of and expertise in Wild Life were utilised by the Government in setting up and maintaining the Wild Game Sanctuaries in Rajasthan.
(d) Clay Pigeon Shooter
One of India’s ace Clay Pigeon Shooters (Skeet) and has actively participated in the National Shooting Championships from 1955 to 1980.
Has been the National Champion several times and won numerous gold medals and prizes. His Kotah Shooting Team won many golds silvers and bronzes. Has represented India in the following International Shooting Championships :-
Pre-Olympic – Tokyo (Japan) 1963.
Singapore Shooing Championship – 1969.
World Shooting Championships – San Sebastian (Spain) 1969.
Polar Grand Prix (Shooting) – Helsinki (Finland) 1970.
2nd Asian Shooting Championship – Seoul (S. Korea) 1971.
3rd Asian Shooting Championship – Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) 1973.
7th Asian Games – Teheran (Iran) 1974.
Summer Olympic Games – Montreal (Canada) 1976.
Asian Clay Target Shooting Championships – Nagaya (Japan) 1981.
For his outstanding performance in this Sport he was awarded the ARJUN AWARD in 1971.
Gun Salute of Kotah
17 guns.
Aviator
Keen aviator. Held requisite license to fly big multi-engine airplanes and had a private fleet of a custom built DC-3 Dakota, Beach "Bonanza" and L-5. Had the cement air-strip, the hangars and the terminal building built at the Kotah Aerodrome between 1946-1948.
Died
21 July 1991.
