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<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Last titular Maharaja of Bikaner (1924–1988)}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2015}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}<br />
{{Infobox royalty<br />
| name = [[Maharaja]] Karni Singh<br />
| succession = Maharaja of Bikaner<br />
| image = Youngkarnisingh-Bikaner.jpg<br />
| caption = Contemporary portrait of Maharaja Karni Singh<br />
| birth_name = <br />
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1924|4|21}}<br />
| birth_place = [[Bikaner]], [[Bikaner State]], [[British India]]<br />
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1988|9|6|1924|4|21}}<br />
| death_place = [[New Delhi]], [[India]]<br />
| succession2 = [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]]<br />
| reign2 = 1952–1977<br />
| reign = 1950–1977<br />
|<br />
| issue = 3, including [[Rajyashree Kumari]], [[Prince Narendra Singh]]<br />
| father = Maharaja [[Sadul Singh]]<br />
| height =<br />
| website = <br />
}}<br />
<br />
[[Maharaja]] '''Karni Singh ji ''' (21 April 1924 – 6 September 1988), also known as '''Dr Karni Singh''', was from 1950 the last Maharaja of [[Bikaner State]] to hold the title of Maharaja of Bikaner, officially, until 1971, when the [[Privy Purse in India|privy purse]] and all the royal titles were abolished by the Republic of India. 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 shooting|clay pigeon]] and [[skeet shooting|skeet]] champion.<br />
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==Early life and education==<br />
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Bikaner family tree.jpg|thumb|Family tree of the Rulers of [[Bikaner State]], 1937. The large portrait in the centre is of [[Maharaja]] [[Ganga Singh|Sir Ganga Singh]] ]] --><br />
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Born as [[Prince]] Karni Singh on 21 April 1924 in the [[Indian Princely State|princely state]] of [[Bikaner (princely state)|Bikaner]], Singh's first schooling was there, after which he attended [[St. Stephen's College, Delhi|St Stephen's College]], [[Delhi]], and [[St. Xavier's College, Bombay|St Xavier's College]], [[Mumbai|Bombay]], where he graduated [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] with Honours in History and Politics.<br />
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==Career==<br />
He saw active service in the [[World War II|Second World War]], serving in the [[Middle East]] with his grandfather, [[General (United Kingdom)|General]] [[Ganga Singh|Sir Ganga Singh]], the 23rd [[Maharaja]] of [[Bikaner (princely state)|Bikaner]]. Prince Karni succeeded his father, [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Maharaja]] [[Sadul Singh of Bikaner|Sir Sadul Singh]], in 1950.<br />
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In 1952, the young Maharaja Karni Singh was elected [[Member of Parliament]] in the [[Lok Sabha]] (Lower House) of India from [[Bikaner (Lok Sabha constituency)|Bikaner constituency]] as an independent candidate, serving on several consultative committees of different ministries and holding his seat until 1977.<br />
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In 1964 he received the degree of [[Doctor of Philosophy]] from [[Bombay University]], for his thesis ''The relationship of the Bikaner royal family with central authority (1465–1949)''.<br />
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He was an ardent supporter of the [[Rajasthani language]] and argued for its inclusion in the 14th schedule of the [[Indian Constitution]].<br />
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As well as many sports, his interests included [[photography]] and [[painting]].<br />
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Maharaja Karni Singh attended his last [[Olympic Games]] in 1980, and he died on 4 September 1988.<br />
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==Family==<br />
He was the elder son of [[Sadul Singh of Bikaner|Maharaja Sadul Singh]], and his name was chosen after their (kul devi) deity's name [[Karni Mata|Karni mata]]. Singh was married to princess Sushila Kumari of [[Dungarpur]] on 25 February 1944 and they had one son and two daughters: Narendra Singh, [[Rajyashree Kumari]], and Madhulika Kumari.<br />
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His daughter [[Princess]] [[Rajyashree Kumari]] was also a first class shooting sportswoman who received the [[Arjuna Award]] in 1968.<br />
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He was succeeded by his son [[Maharaja Narendra Singh of Bikaner|Narendra Singh]], who has 3 daughters: Daksha Kumari, [[Sidhi Kumari|Siddhi Kumari]], and Mahima Kumari. Princess Siddhi Kumari is active in today's politics, currently MLA from [[Bikaner]] East ([[Rajasthan]]).<br />
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==Sporting career==<br />
Singh won the National Championship in [[Trap shooting|Clay Pigeon Trap and Skeet]] seventeen times and represented India at all levels of international competition. He was the first Indian to compete at [[List of athletes with the most appearances at Olympic Games|five Olympic Games]], which he did from 1960 to 1980, missing the Games of 1976, representing India at clay pigeon shooting at the [[Summer Olympics]] in [[Rome]], 1960, [[Tokyo]], 1964 (Captain), [[Mexico]], 1968, [[Munich]], 1972, and [[Moscow]], 1980. His best positions in competition were eighth in 1960 and tenth in 1968.<ref>{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/si/karni-singh-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418115859/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/si/karni-singh-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-04-18 |title=Karni Singh}}</ref><br />
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He represented his country in the [[World Shooting Championships]] at [[Oslo]] in 1961, and the next year won a silver medal at the [[1962 ISSF World Shooting Championships|38th World Shooting Championships]] in Cairo, after tie for 1st place, captaining the Indian team. He also competed in the World Shooting Championships at [[Wiesbaden]] in 1966, again captaining the team, and at [[Bologna]] in 1967 and [[San Sebastián|San Sebastian]] in 1969. He competed in the Asian Shooting Championships at [[Tokyo]] in 1967 and at [[Seoul]] in 1971, where he won a gold medal. He won a silver medal at the [[Asian Games]] in [[Tehran]], 1974, and another in the Asian Games at [[Kuala Lumpur]] in 1975.<ref name=iloveindia>[http://www.iloveindia.com/sports/shooting/shooters/karni-singh.html Profile of Dr Karni Singh] at iloveindia.com</ref><br />
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In 1981 he won the Welsh Grand Prix for clay pigeon shooting, the North Wales Cup and the North West of England Cup.<br />
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In 1961 he was given the [[Arjuna award]], becoming the first person from the world of shooting to be rewarded with that national honour.<ref name=iloveindia/> He documented his shooting experiences in a book of memoirs called ''From Rome to Moscow''.<br />
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Singh was also a keen player of [[tennis]], [[golf]], and [[cricket]], and held a private [[pilot's licence]].<br />
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==Memberships==<br />
Singh was a member of the [[Asiatic Society]] of India, the [[National Sports Club of India]], the [[Cricket Club of India]], the [[Western India Automobile Association]], the [[Bombay Natural History Society]], the [[Bombay Flying Club]], the Bombay Presidency Golf Club, the [[Delhi Golf Club]], the [[Clay Pigeon Shooting Association]] (of which he was an honorary life vice-president), the [[Willingdon Sports Club]], and the Royal Wimbledon Golf Club.<br />
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==Legacy==<br />
[[Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range]] situated near the historic [[Tughlaqabad Fort]] in Delhi was named after him. It was first constructed for the [[1982 Asian Games]] in New Delhi, and later rebuilt for the [[2010 Commonwealth Games]].<ref name=cwg>[http://d2010.thecgf.com/dr_karni_singh_shooting_range Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range] [[2010 Commonwealth Games]] website.</ref><br />
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==Titles==<br />
*1924–1950: [[Yuvaraja]] Sri Sadul Singh Bahadur<br />
*1950–1971: Sri Raj Rajeshwar Maharajadhiraj Narendra Maharaja Shiromani Doctor Sri Karni Singh Bahadur (titular)<br />
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==Honours==<br />
*Grand Commander of the Order of Vikram Star (Bikaner)<br />
*Order of Sadul Star (Bikaner)<br />
*Order of Star of Honour (Bikaner)<br />
*[[Africa Star]] ([[World War II|Second World War]] campaign medal)<br />
*[[India Service Medal]]<br />
*[[Arjuna Award]], for shooting sports, 1962<br />
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==See also==<br />
* [[List of athletes with the most appearances at Olympic Games]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
* {{sports links}}<br />
* {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060702061019/http://www.realbikaner.com/personality/index.html |date=2006-07-02 |title=Dr Karni Singh at Real Personalities of Bikaner }}<br />
* [http://www.rediff.com/election/2004/apr/13equiz.htm Dr. Karni Singh's multi-faceted achievements - Quiz question]<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Karni}}<br />
[[Category:1924 births]]<br />
[[Category:1988 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Indian male sport shooters]]<br />
[[Category:Skeet shooters]]<br />
[[Category:Maharajas of Bikaner]]<br />
[[Category:Recipients of the Arjuna Award]]<br />
[[Category:Sport shooters from Rajasthan]]<br />
[[Category:Rajasthani people]]<br />
[[Category:Trap and double trap shooters]]<br />
[[Category:People from Bikaner]]<br />
[[Category:Indian sportsperson-politicians]]<br />
[[Category:India MPs 1952–1957]]<br />
[[Category:India MPs 1957–1962]]<br />
[[Category:India MPs 1962–1967]]<br />
[[Category:India MPs 1967–1970]]<br />
[[Category:India MPs 1971–1977]]<br />
[[Category:Indian Army personnel]]<br />
[[Category:Olympic shooters of India]]<br />
[[Category:Shooters at the 1960 Summer Olympics]]<br />
[[Category:Shooters at the 1964 Summer Olympics]]<br />
[[Category:Shooters at the 1968 Summer Olympics]]<br />
[[Category:Shooters at the 1972 Summer Olympics]]<br />
[[Category:Shooters at the 1980 Summer Olympics]]<br />
[[Category:Indian Army personnel of World War II]]<br />
[[Category:Asian Games medalists in shooting]]<br />
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Rajasthan]]<br />
[[Category:Shooters at the 1974 Asian Games]]<br />
[[Category:Shooters at the 1982 Asian Games]]<br />
[[Category:Rajasthani politicians]]<br />
[[Category:Indian royalty]]<br />
[[Category:Independent politicians in India]]<br />
[[Category:Medalists at the 1974 Asian Games]]<br />
[[Category:Medalists at the 1982 Asian Games]]<br />
[[Category:Asian Games silver medalists for India]]<br />
[[Category:Asian Games bronze medalists for India]]</div>Bot