Martand Singh


Martand Singh was an Indian wildlife conservationist, parliamentarian and the last Maharaja of the princely state of Rewa. Born in 1923 to Gulab Singh at Fort of Govindgarh, then the Maharajah of Rewa, he did his college studies at Daly College, Indore and continued at Mayo College, Ajmer from where he graduated in 1941. After the death of his father in 1946, he became the Maharajah of Rewa and retained the title, but not the power, until the government abolished royalty in 1970.
Fascinated by the rare breed of white tiger which was native to Rewa, he worked to protect the species and making the region poacher-free. He also reared a white tiger which he found as a cub. After the abolition of royalty, Singh represented Rewa in the 5th Lok Sabha, 7th Lok Sabha and the 8th Lok Sabha. The Government of India awarded him the third-highest civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan, in 1986, for his contributions to society.
Singh was married to Princess Pravina of Kutch and the couple had one son. He died on 20 November 1995, at the age of 72. He was again in the news in 2013 when his son filed a lawsuit regarding the allegedly illegal sale of Rewa Kothi, their Mumbai bungalow with a reported value of 2 billion, using a fake power of attorney. Martand Singh's property is controlled by His Highness Maharaja Martand Singh Charitable Trust.