Royalty of the Indian sub-continent

[Kasumi]

The last titular Maharaja of Jaipur Brigadier Sawai Bhawani Singh died at a private hospital in Gurgaon after prolonged illness.The Jaipur royal died late on Saturday, April 16th, 2011, night due to multi-organ failure, family sources said in Jaipur. He was 80.

Bhawani Singh was the 40th Maharaja of Jaipur and the 11th ruler as per the tradition of Amber.
Born to Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II and his first wife Marudhar Kanwar of Jodhpur, Sawai Bhawani Sing was married to Princess Padmini Devi in 1966.
The royal couple have one daughter Princess Diya Kumari.
He adopted Padmanabh - the son of his daughter Diya Kumari and son-in-law Narendra Singh - who will now be ascended to the throne as per the tradition of the royal family, the family sources said. - Press Trust of India


Deccan Herald article
NetIndian article

[norenxaq]

material can be found at INDIAN PRINCELY STATES
and INDIA

both sites have a lot of material on the princely states, including genealogies

[Kasumi]

Originally Posted by Kasumi

Maharaja of Jaipur Sawai Bhawani Singh passes away aged 80

Bhawani Singh cremated with State honours - The Hindu
Bhawani Singh was caring, humble and considerate - The Times of India
Thousands of people dressed in mourning clothes paid their respects to the last Maharaja of Jaipur on Monday and adorned his body with flower garlands before his 12-year-old grandson lit the funeral pyre. - The Canadian Press

[Kasumi]

The Pandalam Royal family has strongly opposed the proposal of the Kerala forest department to introduce a state-wise “Haj-like” quota system at Sabarimala to control crowds.
The Royal family member said crores of pilgrims flow into the temple every year after vratha and it was not right to deny them them permission to offer prayers at Lord Ayappa shrine. - Deccan Chronicle

[Kasumi]

Gay Prince of Rajpipla to act real in granduncle's film - Indian Express

[Warren]

Teenager to become maharaja of Jaipur | World news | The Guardian

Teenager Crowned Maharaja of Jaipur

By the time the sun sets over the fabled "pink city" of Jaipur on Wednesday, India will have a new king. The heir to the once independent Rajasthani city and its desert dominions will have succeeded to his throne – and to his heritage of lawsuits, snobbery and palace intrigues – at the age of 13.

The new monarch was adopted as heir in 2002 by his grandfather His Highness, First Amongst the Rajas of India, Lord of Princes, Great Prince over Princes, Lieutenant-General Sir Sawai Man Singhji Bahadur the Second, Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India, Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire, Maharaja of Jaipur. The late maharaja died last week aged 79. His heir, currently studying at an exclusive Indian public school, lit his funeral pyre after a funeral attended by tens of thousands.The decision was opposed by the late maharajah's two step brothers, sparking the ongoing family rift.

http://www.arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/168543/t/Indian-boy,-12,-crowned-Maharaja-of-Jaipur/Default.aspx

JAIPUR, India, April 28, (AFP): A 12-year-old boy has been crowned Maharaja of Jaipur, becoming head of what was once one of India’s most glamorous and wealthy royal families.

In a grand marble hall, Kumar Padmanabh Singh was blessed by priests at the coronation ceremony before he walked slowly through the city palace to receive a military guard of honour. The coronation in Jaipur — a popular tourist destination known as the “pink city” — proved that the family is keen to retain some sense of royal lineage.

The Hindu : News / National : Bhawani Singh's grandson crowned Maharaja of Jaipur

Teenager Padmanabh Singh — grandson of the erstwhile Jaipur ruler, the late Brigadier Sawai Bhawani Singh — ascended the titular throne of the Pink City at a magnificent coronation ceremony at the City Palace here on Wednesday.

Wednesday afternoon's solemn ceremony was attended by a galaxy of scions of the erstwhile royal families — the former Rajasthan Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje and present Arts and Culture Minister Bina Kak were among them. Padmanabh's coronation in the royal grandeur was followed by the presentation of a guard of honour by an imperial contingent and salute by firing of cannon 12 times. The newly designated titular Maharaja took the salute with poise while holding a sword.

v Padmanabh Singh being greeted by the royal household staff after his coronation at the City Palace in Jaipur.
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[Kasumi]

Akbar was a colourful man - Times of India

His secular outlook is a lesson for contemporary times and he understood, much before any Muslim ruler of India, that the country could be strong only if its inhabitants were united. Mughal emperor Akbar was fundamentally "an eclectic, a rationalist as well as a mystic", says Belgian historian and writer Dirk Collier.

"Akbar's wives received an allowance of Rs.1,500 a month, which helped them fend for their families and children. They were financially well-off. Many of the women in his harems commissioned monumental buildings," said Collier in an e-mail interview from Knokke, his hometown in Belgium.
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[Kasumi]

The Royal Scindia family has demanded its share of the company which was controlled by it before the state was formed.
In the year 1956, when Madhya Pradesh was established, the Provident Investment Company, which was owned by the Scindia family was merged with the state.
Now, when the company has become a part of the revenue department, Yashodhraraje Scindia has tabled a demand for the family’s share in the erstwhile company.

[Kasumi]

Royal routes | Deccan Chronicle
Royalty enjoys a past of glorious grandeur. but a new brigade of forward-thinking royals are turning architects of the future by taking up causes close to their heart, discovers Fozia Yasin.
The only royal to come out the closet and talk about homosexuality, Manvendra Singh Gohil, the 39th descendant of the 650-year-old Gohil dynasty of Rajpipla, is an international gay rights activist. [...]
Granddaughter of the erstwhile Maharaja of Sonepur, Orissa, Bir Pratap Singh Deo, Shalini Singh calls herself a woman for women’s cause. That’s why after completing her education in Delhi, she chose to work with various NGOs, which work towards sexual and reproductive rights of women. [...]
Sisters Sushma Kumari and Rashmi Banchdev are the daughters of the erstwhile royal family of Jaisalmer. Both married into royal families and feel that it’s easier for them to work for a cause because they are more trusted for their background than the new “causerati” class.
Sushma works for homeless children and destitute women.[...]
‘Nawabzadi’ Aaliya Sultana Babi, daughter of Nawab Mohammad Salabat Khan Babi of Balasinor, has taken up the mission of conservation of dinosaur fossils at Raiyoli village, Balasinor, Gujarat.

[Kasumi]

Though the announcement of Oprah Winfrey that her show has come to an end left crores of viewers across the world disappointed, her Gujarati fans have a reason to smile. Oprah has promised to come to the state during her visit next year.

One of the three Indians, who appeared on her show, the gay prince of Rajpipla Manavendrasinh Gohil revealed the details of Oprah’s trip. “She has confirmed that she will visit Rajpipla during her Indian-China tour next year as she has never been to the two countries,” said Gohil who was called twice on the show. - Ahmedabad Mirror

Oprah Winfrey to visit Rajpipla - Times Of India

[Kasumi]

Suprabha Devi passes away at 73 - Calcutta Telegraph
Suprabha Devi, the first Assamese woman film director, passed away at 7.40am today at a private nursing home here. She was 73.

She is survived by three sons, two daughters-in-law and three grandsons.
Daughter of Jogendra Kumar Rajkhowa and Swarnaprabha Rajkhowa, Suprabha Devi was born on December 24 in 1938 at Digboi in Upper Assam.

Her father was an employee of the Assam Oil Company.

She participated actively in sport and music during her school and college days and brought success and glory to her educational institutions.

After her marriage with late Dwijendra Narayan Dev of the Beltola royal family of Guwahati, she was involved with her husband in the production and distribution of several superhit commercial Assamese films and produced Jog Biyog (1970), Toramai (1972), Moromi (1976), Rangdhali (1979).

First woman film director passes away at 73 - The Times of India

[Kasumi]

Captain Kerala Varma Kochaniyan Thampuran, a member of erstwhile Cochin Royal family, died at Poonjar near here today, family sources said.
Thampuran was 91 and keeping indifferent health for some time. Cremation will take place at the palace burial grounds at Tripunithura near Kochi tomorrow. Thampuran had served in Madras-16 regiment of the Indian Army, when the armed force of the Cochin princely state merged with Indian Army after independence.
He is survived by wife Ambika Thampurati, son Pratapan, and daughters Usha, Padma, Radhika and Jayashree. - Full article

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/captain-k...65-60-116.html

[Kasumi]

Originally Posted by Kasumi

The grandchildren of one of the last queens of India have pledged to fight attempts by her stepson to dispute the terms of her will. - BBC

Court issues notices to two in royal family property dispute - www.daily.bhaskar.com
A lower court has issued notices to Devraj and Jai Singh, members of erstwhile Jaipur royal family, in connection with the dispute of late Rajmata Gayatri Devi's property. Now the court will hear the application for temporary injuction on June 22 in this matter.
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[Kasumi]

Within 24 hours of joining Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Keshridevsinh Zala, crown prince of the erstwhile state of Wankaner, started his political innings on Monday by meeting local workers.
The Wankaner scion joined the saffron party on Sunday in the presence of 18 royal families including two from Rajasthan and chief minister Narendra Modi. The function was held at Wankaner royal palace. - Source

Under the auspice of Vankaner royal family, as many as 26 royal families of Gujarat and Rajasthan today felicitated Chief Minister Mr.Narendra Modi. As a part of their tradition the former kings presented sword and turban along with a roll of honour to the Chief Minister. - Article + photos

[Kasumi]

Fiat to SBI on royal familys jewellery - southindia - Chennai - ibnlive

The Madras High Court has directed the State Bank of India (SBI) to narrate the circumstances under which the jewellery belonging to the Pudukottai Royal Family was deposited with it in 1948.
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According to petitioner, the Pudukottai Royal Family members had deposited the jewelleary in two boxes with the SBI in Tiruchy and Chennai from 1870 onwards and they were antique in nature. They represented the heritage and culture of the nation and as such they were of national importance.

Petitioner alleged that one Rajkumari Rema Devi of Tiruchi, who had links with international criminial mafia gangs, had smuggled some of the jewellery out of the country. As such, there was a doubt whether the jewellary kept in the two boxes were originals or duplicate ones.
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[Kasumi]

Princess Diya's new avatar in western attire - Times Of India
With a new addition of western attire to her wardrobe, Princess Diya Kumari of Jaipur Royal family has added new avatar to her persona.
Generally seen in her graceful and elegant chiffon saris and bare minimum jewellery, Diya bedazzled with her new western look at an event in Toronto. Carrying off the new look with much ?lan, she happily posed for the shutterbugs.

[Kasumi]

Sri Padmanabhaswamy: The Lord of the rings, necklaces and taxes - India - DNA
The recovery of treasure worth over Rs5 trillion from the vaults of Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram has stunned the nation.

India gold treasure evokes ‘bad omen’, ‘curse’ theory | www.commodityonline.com
The mammoth treasure discovered from secret cellars at the Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple in India’s southern state of Kerala remained a focus of attention for one or the other reasons even weeks after the treasure were revealed.
The latest of them is the ‘ Bad omen’ and ‘Curse’ theory. Travancore royal family, the custodians of the temple firmly believe that opening of the remaining Chamber B could be a bad omen for the state and also for those involved in the exercise.

[Kasumi]

The Temple of Riches in Kerala has become the centre of all attention, and every little news related to the temple has been making headlines.
Queen Gauri Laxmi Bai, member of the former royal family of Raja Marthanda Verma of Travancore and one of the trustees of Thiruvananthapuram Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple visited Sri Krishna Mutt here on Saturday July 9.
The visit has created much interest and media buzz given the treasure, worth over Rs one lac crore, found in the secret vaults of the Temple. The news has been creating headlines worldwide, and the Temple is now one of the riches in the world.
The fortune is expected to see a five-fold increase, when cellar B is opened. Currently, the Supreme Court has ordered that it will be opened only after the inventory of the treasure found in cellar A is done and proper security is put in place.

Article + photos

[Kasumi]

Jitendra Singh, the Rahul man and first time MP who makes it big - The Times of India
Jitendra Singh, a scion of Alwar royal family, makes his debut in the Union Council of ministers to become the country's junior home minister.

[Kasumi]

Bracelet stolen from royal family
A diamond-encrusted gold bracelet worth around Rs 4 lakh, belonging to a member of the Tripura royal family, has been stolen from Tripura House, where she stays while in Calcutta.