Hari Singh

Hari Singh
Singh in 1944
Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir
Reign	23 September 1925 — 17 November 1952
Coronation	29 March 1926[1]
Predecessor	Pratap Singh
Successor	Monarchy abolished
Regent	Karan Singh (1949–1952)
Born	(1895-09-00)September 1895 Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, British India (present-day Jammu and Kashmir, India)
Died	26 April 1961(1961-04-26) (aged 65) Bombay, Maharashtra, India (present-day Mumbai)
Spouses	Sri Lal Kunverba Sahiba ​ ​ (m. 1913; died 1915)​ Rani Sahiba Chamba ​ ​ (m. 1915; died 1920)​ Dhanvant Kunveri Baiji ​ ​ (m. 1923, died)​ Tara Devi ​ ​ (m. 1928; sep. 1950)​
Issue	Karan Singh
House	Dogra
Father	Amar Singh
Mother	Bhotiali Chib
Religion	Hinduism[2]

Sir Hari Singh GCSI GCIE GCVO (September 1895 – 26 April 1961) was the last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir of the Dogra dynasty.^[3]

Hari Singh was the son of Amar Singh and Bhotiali Chib. In 1923, following his uncle's death, Singh became the new Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir. After Indian Independence in 1947, Singh wanted Jammu and Kashmir to remain as an independent kingdom. He was required to accede to the Dominion of India to get the support of Indian troops against an invasion by tribal armed men and the Pakistan Army into his state. Singh remained the titular Maharaja of the state until 1952, when the monarchy was abolished by the Indian government. After spending his final days in Bombay, he died on 26 April 1961.

Singh was a controversial ruler. He faced an agitation in Kashmir in 1931 after he took a pro-undivided India stance in first round table conference in London and successful rebellions in Poonch and Gilgit-Baltistan leading to new independent area Azad Kashmir (POK) during partition in 1947. In recently written books and articles, his allegiances with right wingers vs stand for secularity during Jammu massacres is often challenged. ^[4]