Bhupal Singh

Sir Shri Maharana Bhupal Singh Bahadur KCIE (1884 – 4 July 1955), also spelt Bhopal Singh, was the ruler of the Indian princely state of Udaipur (or Mewar) from 1930 and also Rajpramukh of Rajasthan from 1948 until his death on 4 July 1955. Singh was born in 1884, a year before the accession of his father Fateh Singh to the throne of Mewar and Udaipur as Maharana. On 28 July 1921, following some social unrest in Mewar, his father was formally deposed, while being allowed to retain his titular title, and effective power in the state fell into the hands of Bhupal as his son and heir. He became ruler of the state in name as well as in fact in 1930. After the independence and partition of British India in 1947, Singh was one of the first of the Indian princes to sign an Instrument of Accession to the new Dominion of India, and on 18 April 1948 he became Rajpramukh of Rajasthan, succeeding Sir Bhim Singh, Maharaja of Kotah. With effect from 1 April 1949 his title was raised to Maha Rajpramukh. Also he was held titles of Honorary Major-General, Indian Army 15 October 1946 (earlier Honorary Lt.-Col. 4 August 1939), Honorary Colonel, Indian Grenadiers, 1 June 1954. In the 26th amendment to the Constitution of India promulgated in 1971, the Government of India abolished all official symbols of princely India, including titles, privileges, and remuneration (privy purses). Bhagwat Singh succeeded him as the titular ruler of the state. One of Bhopal Singh's palaces was Jag Niwas, on an island in Lake Pichola, since used for the filming of several films, including the James Bond film Octopussy (1983).