Mir Shakti Singh

Who is Mir Shakti Singh?

Shakti Singh was the second son of Maharana Udai Singh, the ruler of Mewar by his second wife Rani Sajjabai Solankini. He was also the younger half-brother of Maharana Pratap.

Once in his childhood he cut his thumb to check the sharpness of a sword, seeing the brutality, his father Udai Singh consulted with his priest who said that Shakti singh would be a bane on Mewar. He then lost all favour and faith from his father Udai Singh and had joined Akbar during lifetime of Udai Singh along with another estranged brother Sagar Singh, joined the imperial army under Akbar.

Shakti Singh, who was fighting on side of Mughals, eventually came to rescue Rana Pratap at Battle of Haldighati and killed the Afghans and gave his own horse to him, when Chetak died. The brothers were united. Shakti Singh promised to join Maharana Pratap at a later date and asked him to leave immediately. Rana Pratap bid farewell and left.

Shakti Singh later went to join Rana Pratap and managed to capture Bhainsrorgarh fort which was occupied by Mughal forces then. The brothers from then on were very close to each other.

His descendants are known as Shaktawat.