Dalel Singh
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Colonel
Apji Dalel Singh (March 18, 1909 - March 8, 1984) was a member of the Constituent Assembly of India
.
He hails from Thikana "Palaitha", a premier principality of the erstwhile Kotah State in Rajasthan
.
He represented Kotah state in the Constituent Assembly of India
from 1946 to 1950.
, one of the most prestigious Universities in India
of that time and even of today. He studied Political Science
and earned his Master of Arts
in the same subject in 1932.
An ardent cricketer, he played on the University Cricket team as 1 of the 2 opening batsmen. Story goes that during his Master's degree, he played on behalf of the university staff against the students' team where the staff made 121 runs and lost. Alas, his "modest" score of 110 not out couldn't help them to win the match.
After his University studies, he travelled to London
to study for the Indian Civil Service Exam. On narrowly missing the opportunity, he travelled back to India
and decided to work for his cousin, the Maharaja of Jaipur
, HH Sawai Man Singh II in the state government, where he served as Secretary in various ministries.
In 1945, the Maharao of Kotah, HH Bhim Singh II asked him to return to Kotah and represent the state at New Delhi in the Constituent Assembly of India
.
and got the opportunity to live in Delhi and see firsthand the process of India
n Independence. His work brought him in close proximity to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
, Pt. Heera Lal Shastri
and Sir V. T. Krishnamachari
amongst others.
Representing the States in the Assembly he often spoke on behalf of and for the rights of the States. Therefore at times he was at opposing end of the views of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru
and the Indian National Congress
. Some of these incidences disillusioned him with Indian Politics.
in January 1950, Pt. Heera Lal Shastri
invited him to join his ministry in Jaipur
after he became the Chief Minister
of Rajasthan
. But having been disillusioned with politics, he politely declined and decided to work for the state of Kotah, which he did even after the merger of the States in the Republic in 1952.
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Apji Dalel Singh (March 18, 1909 - March 8, 1984) was a member of the Constituent Assembly of India
Constituent Assembly of India
The Constituent Assembly of India was elected to write the Constitution of India, and following independence served as the nation's first Parliament.-Nature of the Assembly:...
.
He hails from Thikana "Palaitha", a premier principality of the erstwhile Kotah State in Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
.
He represented Kotah state in the Constituent Assembly of India
Constituent Assembly of India
The Constituent Assembly of India was elected to write the Constitution of India, and following independence served as the nation's first Parliament.-Nature of the Assembly:...
from 1946 to 1950.
Education and early life
Apji Dalel Singh completed his schooling from Herbert School at Kotah and then went on to Banaras Hindu UniversityBanaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University is a public university located in Varanasi, India and is one of the Central Universities of India. It is the largest residential university in Asia, with over 24,000 students in its campus. BHU was founded in 1916 by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya under the Parliamentary...
, one of the most prestigious Universities in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
of that time and even of today. He studied Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and earned his Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in the same subject in 1932.
An ardent cricketer, he played on the University Cricket team as 1 of the 2 opening batsmen. Story goes that during his Master's degree, he played on behalf of the university staff against the students' team where the staff made 121 runs and lost. Alas, his "modest" score of 110 not out couldn't help them to win the match.
After his University studies, he travelled to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to study for the Indian Civil Service Exam. On narrowly missing the opportunity, he travelled back to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and decided to work for his cousin, the Maharaja of Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
, HH Sawai Man Singh II in the state government, where he served as Secretary in various ministries.
In 1945, the Maharao of Kotah, HH Bhim Singh II asked him to return to Kotah and represent the state at New Delhi in the Constituent Assembly of India
Constituent Assembly of India
The Constituent Assembly of India was elected to write the Constitution of India, and following independence served as the nation's first Parliament.-Nature of the Assembly:...
.
The years as a Member of Parliament
During the late 1940s he was a member of the Constituent Assembly of IndiaConstituent Assembly of India
The Constituent Assembly of India was elected to write the Constitution of India, and following independence served as the nation's first Parliament.-Nature of the Assembly:...
and got the opportunity to live in Delhi and see firsthand the process of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n Independence. His work brought him in close proximity to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel was an Indian barrister and statesman, one of the leaders of the Indian National Congress and one of the founding fathers of India...
, Pt. Heera Lal Shastri
Heera Lal Shastri
Pandit Hiralal Shastri was an Indian politician and the first chief minister of Rajasthan state in northern India. He was in office from March 30, 1949 to January 5, 1951.-Early life:...
and Sir V. T. Krishnamachari
V. T. Krishnamachari
Rao Bahadur Sir Vangal Thiruvenkatachari Krishnamachari KCSI, KCIE was an Indian civil servant and administrator...
amongst others.
Representing the States in the Assembly he often spoke on behalf of and for the rights of the States. Therefore at times he was at opposing end of the views of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
and the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
. Some of these incidences disillusioned him with Indian Politics.
Later life
After the end of term of the Constituent Assembly of IndiaConstituent Assembly of India
The Constituent Assembly of India was elected to write the Constitution of India, and following independence served as the nation's first Parliament.-Nature of the Assembly:...
in January 1950, Pt. Heera Lal Shastri
Heera Lal Shastri
Pandit Hiralal Shastri was an Indian politician and the first chief minister of Rajasthan state in northern India. He was in office from March 30, 1949 to January 5, 1951.-Early life:...
invited him to join his ministry in Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
after he became the Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
of Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
. But having been disillusioned with politics, he politely declined and decided to work for the state of Kotah, which he did even after the merger of the States in the Republic in 1952.
Illness and death
During the last two years of his life, Apji Dalel Singh suffered from ill health. On March 8, 1984, he suffered a heart attack and died in his sleep. He was cremated at Kotah.External links
- Official Website for Parliament of India
- Excerpts from the debates in the Constituent Assembly of India
- Banaras Hindu UniversityBanaras Hindu UniversityBanaras Hindu University is a public university located in Varanasi, India and is one of the Central Universities of India. It is the largest residential university in Asia, with over 24,000 students in its campus. BHU was founded in 1916 by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya under the Parliamentary...
- Genealogical Gleanings of Indian Princley States
- RootsWeb