2018-04-21 Sat

Maharaja Karni Singhji was the last Maharaja of Bikaner State to hold the title of Maharaja of Bikaner, officially, from 1950 to 1971, when the privy purse and all the royal titles were abolished by the Republic of India.

Born as Prince Karni Singh on 21 April 1924 in the Princely State of Bikaner, Singh’s schooling was done here, after which he attended St Stephen's College, Delhi, and St Xavier's College, Bombay, where he graduated BA with Honors in History and Politics. He was also a politician, serving as a member of the Lok Sabha for twenty-five years, from 1952 to 1977, and an international clay pigeon and skeet champion.

  This silver Nazarana Rupee or Ceremonial Coronation Rupee of Karni Singh was issued in 2007 VS. The obverse side depicts the Devanagari legend ‘Shri Maharajadhiraja Rajarajeshvara Narendra Shiromani Maharaja Shri Singhji Bahadur’. The reverse side has a legend ‘Rajshri Bikanir’ on top and symbols such as sword, rifle, parasol, dome of the temple, trishul depicted on middle and bottom has date. Image Courtesy: Todywalla Auctions