SARUP SINGH, RAJA

SARUP SINGH, RAJA (1812-1864), son of Karam Singh of Bazidpur and a collateral of Raja Sangat Singh (1811-34) of Jind who had died childless, ascended the gaddi of Jind in April 1837. The gap between the death of Raja Sangat Singh and die assumption of the dirone by Raja Sarup Singh was caused by protracted deliberations by the British Government to decide whether the state should be annexed as escheat and, if not, who among the nearest collaterals of the deceased chief had a better title to the gaddi.Born on 30 May 1812, Sarup Singh was very tall and handsome.

Sir Lepel Griffin writes in his The Rajas of the Punjab:”In person and presence he was eminently princely and the stalwart Sikh race could hardly show a taller or stronger man. Clad in armour, as he loved to be, at the head of his troops there was perhaps no other prince in India who bore himself so gallantly and looked so true a soldier.” Sarup Singh had cordial relations with the British and his loyalty to them during the AngloSikh wars and the uprising of 1857 was rewarded with die grant of territories, the right of adoption in case of failure of direct heirs and other concessions.

He was granted Dadri in Haryana and thirteen villages near Sahgrur, a house in Delhi and an eleven gun salute. He introduced many reforms in his state on the British model, particularly concerning revenue and police administration. Raja Sarup Singh died on 26 January 1864, and was succeeded by his son, Raghbir Singh.

References :

1. Griffin, Lepel, The Rajas of the Punjab [Reprint]. Delhi, 1977
2. Ganda Singh, The Patiala and the East Panjab States Union. Patiala, 1951
3. Kahn Singh, Gurushabad jRatnahar Mahan JKosh [Reprint]. Patiala, 1981