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Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh

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Raja
Mahendra Pratap Singh
Mahendra Pratap on a 1979 stamp of India
President of the Provisional Government of India
In office
1 December 1915 — January 1919
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
1957 — 1962
Preceded byGirraj Saran Singh
Succeeded byChaudhary Digambar Singh
ConstituencyMathura
Personal details
Born1 December 1886
Hathras, North-Western Provinces, British India
Died29 April 1979 (aged 92)
PartyIndependent
SpouseBalveer Kaur
Alma materMuhammad Anglo-Oriental Collegiate School

Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh (1 December 1886 – 29 April 1979) was an Indian independence activist, politician, social reformer, and educationist.[1] He was the president of the provisional government of India, established in Kabul in 1915, with the support of Indian nationalists and revolutionaries during World War I.[2][3] He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1932.[4]

Born into the ruling family of Mursan in the Hathras district of the North-Western Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh), Singh was educated at Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, which later became Aligarh Muslim University. Singh participated in various nationalist and reform movements and spent several years in self-imposed exile engaged in political activities abroad. Singh also formed the executive board of India in Tokyo, Japan in 1940 during World War II.[5][6] After India's independence, Singh served as a Member of Parliament representing Mathura in the Lok Sabha from 1957 to 1962. Singh established a number of educational institutions, including Prem Maha Vidyalaya in Vrindavan in 1909. He was popularly known as "Aryan Peshwa".[7]

His legacy was commemorated by the government of India by on 1979 postage stamp of India. In Uttar Pradesh, the Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh University was founded in his honour in 2021.[8]

Early life, education, and personal life

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Singh was born on 1 December 1886 in Mursan, Hathras district, North-Western Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh), into a Jat royal family.[9] His father, Raja Ghanshyam Singh, was the ruler of Mursan. At the age of three, he was adopted by Raja Harnarayan Singh of Hathras.[1]

He received his early education at Government High School, Aligarh, and later attended the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College (now Aligarh Muslim University).[10] Although he did not complete his degree, his years at Aligarh exposed him to modern political and social ideas that shaped his reformist outlook.[11]

In 1902, while still a student, Singh married Balveer Kaur, a Sikh princess from the princely state of Jind. He was deeply interested in religion, philosophy, and science, and was known for his broad humanist worldview.[12]

Career

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Singh began his public life by focusing on educational and social reform. In 1906, he attended a session of the Indian National Congress, after which he became involved in the Indian independence movement.[13]

Prem Mahavidyalaya

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In 1909, Singh established India's first polytechnic college, Prem Mahavidyalaya in Vrindavan, with the dual vision of promoting education and nurturing nationalist thought.[14] During the inauguration of Prem Mahavidyalaya, Madan Mohan Malaviya was also present. Over time, it evolved into an intellectual centre for revolutionary ideas and a meeting place for freedom fighters and Congress leaders.[15]

Prominent figures such as Subhas Chandra Bose, Rabindranath Tagore, Sarojini Naidu, C. F. Andrews, and Jawaharlal Nehru visited the college, leaving their remarks in its visitor book. Mahatma Gandhi spent a day there on 19 April 1915, recording his admiration for Singh's dedication to the national cause. Singh was influenced by the ideas of Dadabhai Naoroji, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Maharaja of Baroda, and Bipin Chandra Pal, and actively supported the Swadeshi movement and opposed untouchability.[16]

In 1914, Singh left Prem Mahavidyalaya to seek international backing for India's independence, publishing the periodical Nirbal Sevak[17] from Dehradun and travelling through Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary, Turkey, Afghanistan, Russia, and Japan to advocate for the Indian independence movement before returning to India in 1946.[18]

During World War I, Singh became involved in international anti-colonial activism. In 1914–1915, he travelled to Europe and Asia to seek support for India's independence from the British Raj.[19]

Provisional government of India

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Main article: Provisional Government of India
Mahendra Pratap (centre), President of the Provisional Government of India, at the head of the mission with the German and Turkish delegates in Kabul, 1915. Seated to his right is Werner Otto von Hentig.

On 1 December 1915, in Bagh-e Babur, Kabul, Singh established the provisional government of India, a government-in-exile intended to secure international assistance against British rule.[citation needed] Singh served as president, while Maulana Barkatullah as prime minister in the provisional government of India.[20] The government operated from Afghanistan and sought diplomatic and military support, though it did not gain official recognition from the Afghan ruler. This initiative is considered one of the earliest attempts by Indians to assert sovereignty outside the subcontinent.[21]

Following the Kabul mission, Singh spent several decades abroad, engaging in diplomatic and activist work across Europe and Asia.[22] He met various leaders, including Kaiser Wilhelm II in Germany and Bolshevik leaders in Russia.[23]

Singh's efforts in establishing the provisional government of India in Kabul (1915) received recognition from various leaders in the Indian independence movement. Mahatma Gandhi acknowledged Singh's contributions in a series of letters exchanged between them. Gandhi stated that Singh held a "special place" in his regard from 1915 and noted that he had been aware of the Hindu Jat leader since his time in South Africa. In his correspondence, Gandhi described Singh's dedication and patriotism as commendable.[23][24]

Nomination for Nobel peace prize

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In 1929, Singh founded the World Federation, a platform promoting international cooperation, peace, and anti-imperial advocacy. In 1929, Singh donated 3.05 acres of land to Aligarh Muslim University for its expansion and development.[25] In 1932, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Swedish activist N. A. Nilsson for his contributions to international dialogue and anti-colonial activism.[26]

During World War II, in 1940, Singh established the executive board of India in Tokyo, Japan. The organization aimed to unite Indian nationalists abroad and coordinate efforts to secure support from the Axis powers for India's independence.[5]

Indian politics

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After more than three decades abroad, Singh returned to India in 1946, shortly before independence. In the 1957 Indian general elections, he was elected as an independent Member of Parliament from Mathura, in the Lok Sabha, defeating Atal Bihari Vajpayee of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh.[27][28]

On 22 November 1957, Singh moved a bill in Lok Sabha to recognise the service of people like, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Barindra Kumar Ghosh, and Bhupendranath Datta. The bill was defeated, with 48 votes favouring it, and 75 against it. He, along with other members walked out of the Lok Sabha saying "I hope every Bengali and every Maratha will also walk out".[29][30]

Electoral history

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1957 Indian general election: Mathura
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Raja Mahendra Pratap [31][32] 95,202 40.68
INC Chaudhary Digambar Singh 69,209 29.57
Independent Pooran 29,177
ABJS Atal Bihari Vajpayee 23,620 10.09

Legacy

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Singh was known for establishing the provisional government of India in Kabul in 1915, which aimed to secure international support for India's independence.[1] Beyond his political activities, he promoted education by founding schools and colleges such as Prem Mahavidyalaya, supporting technical and vocational training, and donating land for educational purposes for Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).[33]

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi at the foundation stone laying ceremony of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh University with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath

He was a prolific writer and thinker, advocating social harmony through his ethical-spiritual concept of "Prem-Dharam".[33] In recognition of his contributions, the Government of India issued a commemorative postage stamp in 1979. His legacy is further honoured through the Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh University, established in 2021 in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, which serves as a state university and affiliates colleges in the region.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh, Unsung Hero and Envoy Extraordinaire For India's Freedom". The Wire. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  2. ^ Gupta, Sourabh (28 November 2014). "3 surprising facts about Jat King at the centre of AMU row". India Today.
  3. ^ "राजा महेंद्र प्रताप सिंह की पूरी कहानी, पीएम मोदी ने जिनके नाम पर यूनिवर्सिटी का किया शिलान्यास". BBC News हिंदी (in Hindi). 14 September 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  4. ^ Journal of Historical Research. Department of History, Ranchi University. 2011. Raja Mahendra Pratap was permitted to come to India from Tokyo with respect. He was also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1932
  5. ^ a b Singh, Vir (2005). Life and Times of Raja Mahendra Pratap. Low Price Publications (India). ISBN 9788188629329. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  6. ^ "The Role and Contribution of Raja Mahendra Pratap in Indian Freedom Movement" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 December 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  7. ^ "Raja Mahendra Pratap". India Post.
  8. ^ a b "PM Narendra Modi to lay foundation of UP university named after Jat icon Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh". The Times of India. 8 September 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  9. ^ Rajesh, K. Guru. Sarfarosh: A Naadi Exposition of the Lives of Indian Revolutionaries. Notion Press. ISBN 978-93-5206-173-0. Raja Mahendra Pratap belonged to a Jat royal family. His father was Raja Ghanshyam Singh
  10. ^ Bhattacharya, Abinash Chandra (1962). Bahirbharate Bharater Muktiprayas (in Bengali), Kalikata:Firma K.L.Mukhopadhyaya, pp. 9–24
  11. ^ "Explained: The legacy of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh, and his contribution to the building of AMU". The Indian Express. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  12. ^ "PM Modi To Lay Foundation Stone Of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh University, Know About The Legend". ABP Live. 8 September 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  13. ^ "Who was Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh?". The Times of India. 15 September 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  14. ^ "जहां राजा महेंद्र का बचपन बीता वहां से ग्राउंड रिपोर्ट: वृंदावन में बनाया था एशिया का पहला पॉलिटेक्निक कॉलेज, यमुना किनारे बनी है राजा की समाधि; लेकिन अब खंडहर हो गया निवास स्थान". Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). 10 September 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  15. ^ "Mathura: स्वतंत्रता आंदोलन का केंद्र बिंदु रहा प्रेम महाविद्यालय, अब बनेगा स्मारक". Amar Ujala (in Hindi). Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  16. ^ Today, Vrindavan (15 August 2021). "Independence-Day Special: The story of Vrindavan's Prem Mahavidyalaya, Raja Mahendra Pratap and India's freedom struggle". Vrindavan Today. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  17. ^ "A Raja that time forgot, but politics will not". The Indian Express. 20 September 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  18. ^ Today, Vrindavan (15 August 2021). "Independence-Day Special: The story of Vrindavan's Prem Mahavidyalaya, Raja Mahendra Pratap and India's freedom struggle". Vrindavan Today. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  19. ^ "Explained: The legacy of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh, and his contribution to the building of AMU". The Indian Express. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  20. ^ "क्रांतिकारी जो अंग्रेजों पर पड़ा भारी, जिसने काबुल में बनाई भारत की निर्वासित सरकार". Zee-Hindi (in Hindi). Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  21. ^ "यूपी चुनाव: जाट वोटबैंक को रिझाने पर BJP का ध्यान! अलीगढ़ में PM ने राजा महेंद्र प्रताप सिंह विवि की रखी आधारशिला". Jansatta (in Hindi). 14 September 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  22. ^ "भारत का वो स्वतंत्रता सेनानी जिसे जर्मनी, रूस और अफगानिस्तान से मिला था समर्थन". Zee News Hindi (in Hindi). 8 August 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  23. ^ a b Dutta, Prabhash K. (14 September 2021). "Raja Mahendra Pratap: The Jat hero behind PM Modi's university move". India Today. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  24. ^ "Raja Mahendra Pratap: A Complex Relationship with Gandhi". 1 December 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  25. ^ "जहां राजा महेंद्र का बचपन बीता वहां से ग्राउंड रिपोर्ट: वृंदावन में बनाया था एशिया का पहला पॉलिटेक्निक कॉलेज, यमुना किनारे बनी है राजा की समाधि; लेकिन अब खंडहर हो गया निवास स्थान". Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). 10 September 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2025. राजा महेंद्र प्रताप ने 1929 में अलीगढ़ में मोम्मडन एंग्लो ओरियंटल कॉलेज (वर्तमान में अलीगढ़ मुस्लिम यूनिवर्सिटी) की स्थापना के लिए अपनी 3.05 एकड़ जमीन 2 रुपए सालाना पट्टे पर दी थी
  26. ^ Mehlin, Hans (21 May 2024). "Nomination for Nobel Peace Prize". NobelPrize.org. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  27. ^ "Despite humiliating defeat from Mathura in 1957, Vajpayee always had great love and affection for its people". The Times of India. 16 August 2018. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  28. ^ "जब मंच से अपने विरोधी के लिए वोट मांगने लगे थे अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी; पढ़ें दिलचस्प किस्सा". Jansatta (in Hindi). 30 January 2022. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  29. ^ "Divided over Savarkar: Once upon a time, CPI MPs, Feroze Gandhi spoke up for him". The Indian Express. 1 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  30. ^ Gandhi, Feroze; Gopalan, Ayillath Kuttieri; Pai, Bapu Nath; Tyagi, Mahavir; Chaudhuri, Tridib; Datar, Balwantrao Nageshrao; Tahir, Mohammad; Sen, Ashok Kumar; Narasimhan, C. R.; Singh (Patiala), Hukum; Pratap, Mahendra (18 July 2022). "Recognition (of Services to the country) Bill". Lok Sabha Digital Library.
  31. ^ "General Election, 1957 (Vol I, II)". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  32. ^ साहिल, अफ़रोज़ आलम (1 October 2019). "बीजेपी को जिन राजा महेंद्र प्रताप पर प्यार आ रहा है, उन्होंने वाजपेयी को हराया था". ThePrint Hindi. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  33. ^ a b Stolte, Carolien (2012). "'Enough of the Great Napoleons!' Raja Mahendra Pratap's Pan-Asian projects (1929–1939)". Modern Asian Studies. 46 (2): 403–423. doi:10.1017/S0026749X11000813. ISSN 1469-8099.

Further reading

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  • The Kaiser's Mission to Kabul A Secret Expedition to Afghanistan in World War I by Jules Stewart, I. B. Taurus 2014 ISBN 978 178076 875 5
  • Dr. Vir Singh (2004), My Life History: 1886–1979, Raja Mahendra Pratap, ISBN 81-88629-24-3
  • "Mahendra Pratap (Raja)" in Dictionary of National Biography, 1974, Vol. III, pp10–11
  • Les origines intellectuelles du mouvement d'indépendance de l'Inde (1893–1918) by Prithwindra Mukherjee, Paris, 1986 (PhD Thesis)
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