22 Facts About Hari Singh

In 1923, following his uncle's death, Singh became the new Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir.

Hari Singh acceded to the Dominion of India to get the support of Indian troops against an invasion by tribal armed men and the Pakistan Army into his state.

Hari Singh remained the titular Maharaja of the state until 1952, when the monarchy was abolished by the Indian government.

Hari Singh faced an agitation in Kashmir in 1931 and successful rebellions in Poonch.

Hari Singh is accused of being complicit in 1947 Jammu massacres.

Hari Singh was born in the Dogra Rajput royal family on September 1895 at the Amar Mahal, Palace, Jammu.

Since the Maharaja had no issue, Hari Singh was heir presumptive to the throne of Jammu and Kashmir.

In 1903, Hari Singh served as a page of honour to Lord Curzon at the grand Delhi Durbar.

Hari Singh was appointed the commander-in-chief of the State Forces in 1915 by Maharaja Pratap Singh.

Hari Singh ascended the throne of Jammu and Kashmir in February 1926 under British intervention, who overruled Pratap Singh's choice of an adopted son, Raja Jagat Dev Singh of Poonch.

Hari Singh made primary education compulsory in the state, introduced laws prohibiting child marriage, and opened places of worship to low caste subjects.

In 1930, Hari Singh attended the First Round Table Conference in London.

Hari Singh opted to remain independent for the immediate future since the dominions were beset with partition violence and he needed time to weigh the options in the context of his Muslim-majority population.

Hari Singh signed a standstill agreement with Pakistan on 14 August 1947 and urged India to do the same, but India did not comply.

Pressure from Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Deputy Prime Minister Vallabhbhai Patel eventually compelled Hari Singh to appoint his son and heir, Yuvraj Karan Hari Singh, as Prince Regent of Jammu and Kashmir in 1949, although he remained the titular Maharaja of the state until 1952 when the monarchy was abolished by Nehru's government.

Hari Singh was forced to appoint the popular Kashmiri leader Sheikh Abdullah as the prime minister of Kashmir.

Hari Singh had a contentious relationship with both Nehru and Abdullah.

Karan Hari Singh was appointed 'Sadr-e-Riyasat' in 1952 and Governor of the State in 1964.

Hari Singh departed from Jammu on April 28,1949, for New Delhi and never came back again, there on June 9,1949, he signed a proclamation appointing his 18-year-old son, Yuvraj Karan Singh, as the Regent of Jammu and Kashmir, on June 20,1949, his son arrived in Jammu as Regent, while the Maharaja left for Bombay the same day and settled there for the rest of his life.

Hari Singh died on 26 April 1961, after fourteen years of banishment.

Hari Singh married four times as he faced disturbances in his private life.

Also, Hari Singh faced political and domestic conspiracies at this time and thought it appropriate to send back the third wife to safety.