Jammu celebrating 130th birth anniversary of Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh

'Jammu celebrating 130th birth anniversary of Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh'

In Jammu and Kashmir, the Jammu is today commemorating the 130th birth anniversary of the late Maharaja Hari Singh, the last Dogra king of the erstwhile state that even included areas of Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir and North-Western Province of Pakistan. Impromptu celebrations broke out since midnight as Yuva Rajput Sabha organized a grand musical event, honouring Dogra artists at the statue of Maharaja Hari Singh near Tawi Bridge in Jammu. The celebrations will continue through the day as it was also declared as a public holiday in the Union Territory since year 2022. Maharaja Hari Singh was born on September 23, 1895. 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. Maharaja Hari Singh was also founder of two radio stations-Jammu on December 1, 1947 and Srinagar on July 1, 1948 following partition to deal with this critical situation. The first formal broadcast over Radio Kashmir, Jammu, now Akashwani Jammu was by the Maharaja Hari Singh, who asked the people to stay united against Pakistani intruders. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha paid tributes to Maharaja Hari Singh on his birth anniversary. In a message on X, he said Maharaja’s dedication and commitment to build a just and equitable society for the well-being of the people is unparalleled. His (Maharaja’s) life and ideals are a source of inspiration for us to create a fair and humane society