Sadul Singh of Bikaner

Who was Sadul Singh of Bikaner?

Lieutenant-General Sir Sadul Singh was the last reigning Maharaja of Bikaner from 2 February 1943 to 15 August 1947, continuing as Head of the House of Bikaner until his death. The eldest surviving son of General Sir Ganga Singh, Sir Sadul Singh had, for the thirty years leading up to his succession, been serving in many important posts for his father. He had been a Page of Honour at the coronation of King George V and had attended him at the durbar in Delhi. In 1919, Sir Sadul was present at the Paris Peace Conference and attended the 1924 meeting of the League of Nations. He served as Chief Minister of Bikaner from 1920 to 1925 and fought in the Second World War in Persia, the Middle East and Burma. As the time for Indian independence drew near, Sir Sadul was among the first princes to accede to the Dominion of India, which he did on 7 August 1947. On 30 March 1949, Sir Sadul merged Bikaner into the United State of Greater Rajasthan, and died in London a year later, aged 48. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Maharaja Dr. Karni Singh.