Personal Profile
Shri Ganga Singh ji was born on October 3, 1880. He was the third and youngest son of Maharaja Sri Lal Singh. .He was a ruler with modern reformist vision of the princely state of Bikaner in present-day Rajasthan, India.
His education and Training
Shri Ganga Singh ji was initially educated privately, then at Mayo College, Ajmer from 1889 to 1894. After that, he went under the guidance of Thakur Pratap Singh Ji “CHURU” for administrative training, learning administrative work from that of Patwari to that of Prime Minister.
He took military training in Deoli in 1898 and got attached to the Deoli Regiment, which had the reputation of being one of the finest Regiment in India under the command of Lt. Col. Bell. During the first World War, he commanded the Bikaner Camel Corps which served in France, Egypt and Palestine.
Contribution for the Society
As a ruler, he established a Chief Court in Bikaner and presided over by a Chief Judge. Bikaner was the first State in Rajasthan to take such a step. A life insurance and Endowment Assurance Scheme was introduced for the benefit of the employees. Also, facilities of a saving bank were made available to the people. He was one of the first rulers to introduce through legislation a Sharda Act by which child marriages were stopped.
Singh constructed the Ganga Canal. He inspired people to come and settle in this new Command area. A large population settled than there. He successfully dealt with the worst famine of the year 1899-1900 AD in the region. This famine inspired the young Maharaja to establish an irrigation system to get rid of the problem permanently. He developed the city of Sri Ganganagar and its surrounding area as the most fertile grain bowl of Rajasthan. He brought railways and an electricity network to the state.
After the First World War, Maharaja Ganga Singh took up the task of Industrialization in the State. As a result of all this a coal mine at Palana, Cottage ginning Factories of cotton Press in Ganganagar Dist., the wool pressing Factory, the glass work, Soap Factory, Cigarette Factory, the pulse Factory, File Factory, Printing Press and a big Railway workshop started working in the State.
Honors for Highness Maharaja “Sir Ganga Singh
For his services to the cause of Indian Nationalism he was entitled as an honored place among the ranks of the great Indian Patriots. Maharaja Ganga Singh was one of the most consistent Nationalists and many medals like India Service Medal-1945, china war medal were given to him. Maharaja Ganga Singhji passed away on 2nd February 1943 at Bombay.
