15 Facts About Yadavindra Singh

Yadavindra Singh served in the Patiala State Police, became its Inspector General and served in Malaya, Italy and Burma during the World War II.

Yadavindra Singh succeeded his father, Bhupinder Yadavindra Singh, as the Maharaja of Patiala on 23 March 1938 and subsequently married his second wife, Mehtab Kaur, in 1938.

Yadavindra Singh served as president of the Indian Olympic Association from 1938 to 1960.

Yadavindra Singh led the founding and organization of the first Asian Games in Delhi in 1951.

Yadavindra Singh was a noted horticulturist by passion and later served as chairman of Indian Horticulture Development Council.

Maharajas of Patiala and Faridkot, and Yadavindra Singh is quoted as having said "We won't leave a Muslim here" at a party with British officers.

Yadavindra Singh agreed to the incorporation of the Patiala State into India.

Yadavindra Singh was Rajpramukh of the new Indian state of Patiala and East Punjab States Union until it was merged with Punjab in 1956.

In 1956, Yadavindra Singh donated the Anand Bhawan, a 150 bigha palace, to the Government of Punjab.

Yadavindra Singh donated Moti Bagh Palace to the Government of India, which became the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports.

Mahesh Inder Yadavindra Singh was a Member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly from Sunam as an independent politician and a Freemason who served as the Worshipful Master of the Masonic lodge in Patiala.

Later in his career, Yadavindra Singh served as the Indian delegate to the United Nations General Assembly from 1956 to 1957 and to UNESCO in 1958.

Yadavindra Singh headed the Indian delegation to the Food and Agriculture Organization at various times from 1959 to 1969.

Yadavindra Singh served as the Indian Ambassador to Italy from 1965 to 1966 and as the Indian Ambassador to the Netherlands from 1971 until 17 June 1974, when he died suddenly in office at The Hague from heart failure, age 60.

Yadavindra Singh's wife, Mehtab Kaur, was a politician and served as a Member of Parliament in both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.