Who was appointed first Raj Pramukh of Rajasthan ?

Correct — option (3), Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II of Jaipur.

The Government of India's White Paper on Indian States (revised edition, 1950) describes the Union formed when Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer joined the former Rajasthan Union. It says: 'The present Ruler of Jaipur is the first Rajpramukh of the Union and will hold office during his life-time.'

That Union was inaugurated on 30 March 1949. The White Paper's appendix prints its Instrument of Accession, executed by Maharajadhiraja Sawai Sir Man Singhji Bahadur as Raj Pramukh of the United State of Rajasthan.

The White Paper also calls the first Union of March 1948 the United State of Rajasthan, and the 1948 Unions had Rajpramukhs of their own: Wikipedia names the Maharao of Kotah for March 1948, and the White Paper names the Maharana of Mewar for April 1948. Neither ruler is among the options.

The first Rajpramukh of the 1949 Union was option (3), Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II of Jaipur.

The idea to remember: 30 March 1949 Union: Man Singh II of Jaipur first Rajpramukh, the Ruler of Mewar Maharajpramukh; in 1948 the White Paper names Kotah's ruler first President of the March Union and Mewar's Maharana Rajpramukh of the April Union.

Why the others are wrong

• (1)
  Maharaja Umed Singh of Jodhpur — Umaid Singh could not have held the post. The Jodhpur District Gazetteer (1979) says he died in June 1947 and was succeeded by Hanuwant Singh, before any Rajasthan union was formed.

  The gazetteer says the Umaid Bhawan palace was built in his reign and is named after him. Maharaja Umed Singh of Jodhpur answers a question on the ruler after whom Jodhpur's Umaid Bhawan is named.

• (2)
  Maharaja Karni Singh of Bikaner — Karni Singh was not yet ruler in 1949. The Churu District Gazetteer (1970) says Maharaja Sadul Singh succeeded Ganga Singh in 1943, and Wikipedia gives Karni Singh's reign as Maharaja of Bikaner from 1950.

  Maharaja Karni Singh of Bikaner answers a question on Sadul Singh's successor at Bikaner.

• (4)
  Maharana Bhagwat Singh of Udaipur — In 1948–49 the Maharana of Mewar was Bhupal Singh. The White Paper says that when Mewar joined in April 1948 its Maharana was to be Rajpramukh for life, and Wikipedia gives Bhupal Singh that office from 18 April 1948. The 1949 Union made the Ruler of Mewar Maharajpramukh instead.

  Wikipedia says Bhagwat Singh succeeded Bhupal Singh on 4 July 1955. Maharana Bhagwat Singh of Udaipur answers a question on Bhupal Singh's successor at Udaipur.

The White Paper says the integration of the Rajputana states was completed in three stages. First, nine smaller south-eastern states formed the Rajasthan Union, inaugurated on 25 March 1948; the White Paper's 1948 edition says the Ruler of Kotah was deemed elected its first President.

When Mewar joined, the covenant was changed: the Maharana of Mewar became Rajpramukh for life and the Maharao of Kotah senior Up-Rajpramukh. Jawaharlal Nehru inaugurated this second Union on 18 April 1948.

Finally Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer joined to form the United State of Rajasthan on 30 March 1949, with the Ruler of Jaipur as Rajpramukh and the Ruler of Mewar as Maharajpramukh.

Key facts

• White Paper on Indian States (1950): the present Ruler of Jaipur was the first Rajpramukh, for life, of the Union inaugurated on 30 March 1949.
• The enlarged United State of Rajasthan, joining Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer to the former Rajasthan Union, was inaugurated on 30 March 1949.
• The same Union appointed the Ruler of Mewar its Maharajpramukh for life, per the White Paper.
• In the second Rajasthan Union, inaugurated by Nehru on 18 April 1948, the Maharana of Mewar was Rajpramukh.
• The first Rajasthan Union, of nine south-eastern states, was inaugurated on 25 March 1948; Wikipedia lists the Maharao of Kotah, Bhim Singh II, as its Rajpramukh.

Common traps

• Missing the earlier Rajpramukhs: Wikipedia names the Maharao of Kotah for the March 1948 Union, the White Paper the Maharana of Mewar for April 1948; its 'first Rajpramukh' is Jaipur's ruler, of the 1949 Union.
• Confusing Rajpramukh with Maharajpramukh: in 1949 the Ruler of Mewar received the separate life title of Maharajpramukh.
• Picking a well-known ruler without checking dates: Umaid Singh of Jodhpur had died in June 1947, and Bhagwat Singh became Maharana only in 1955.

UnlockIAS will link similar questions from RAS Pre 2021 and 2013 here once those papers are published on this site.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  In the United State of Rajasthan inaugurated on 30 March 1949, which ruler was appointed Maharajpramukh for life?

  • (a)The Ruler of Jaipur
  • (b)The Ruler of Mewar
  • (c)The Ruler of Bikaner
  • (d)The Maharao of Kotah
  Answer(2) — The White Paper calls the life appointment of the Ruler of Mewar as Maharajpramukh a special feature of that Union. Option (1) was its first Rajpramukh; option (4) was senior Up-Rajpramukh of the April 1948 Union; option (3) is not given the post in the White Paper.
• practice — not a real PYQ

  On which date was the second Rajasthan Union, which Mewar joined, inaugurated?

  • (a)25 March 1948
  • (b)18 April 1948
  • (c)30 March 1949
  • (d)1 November 1956
  Answer(2) — The White Paper says Jawaharlal Nehru inaugurated the second Rajasthan Union on 18 April 1948. Option (1) is the first Rajasthan Union's date and option (3) that of the enlarged Union which Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer joined; option (4) is not a union inauguration date in the White Paper.