Vikramaditya Singh (politician, born 1964)

Yuvraj Vikramaditya Singh (born 5 August 1964) is an Indian businessman and politician. He was a leader of Indian National Congress (INC) and an ex-member of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council. He is the grandson of Maharaja Sir Hari Singh, who was the last ruler of the Indian princely state of Kashmir.[1][2] He is the heir apparent of the Dogra dynasty.

Vikramaditya Singh, then PDP MLC, speaking at an official program at Billawar, Kathua.

Early life

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Vikramaditya is a son of senior INC leader and former Sadr-e-Riyasat Karan Singh and Yasho Rajya Lakshmi, granddaughter of the last Rana Prime Minister of Nepal,Mohan Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana.[3]

He is a hotelier by profession and managing director of Taragarh Palace Hotel, Kangra. Vikramaditya completed his education at the University of Southern California and married Chitrangada Scindia, daughter of late Madhavrao Scindia, Maharaja of Gwalior in 1987.[4] They have two children, a son, Martand Singh, and a daughter, Mriganka Singh.[5] Vikramaditya is a trustee of J&K Dharmarth Trust that was founded by Maharaja Gulab Singh.[6]

In 2017, his daughter, Mriganka married Nirvan Singh, the grandson of Captain Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister of Punjab and member of the Patiala royal dynasty.[7]

Political career

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In August 2015, he joined Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).[8] In October 2017, he resigned as member of legislative council and PDP over the issue of holiday on the birthday of his grandfather Maharaja Hari Singh.[9] He later joined INC.[10] He was Lok Sabha INC candidate from Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency in 2019 where he lost to Dr Jitendra Singh of BJP.

On 22nd March 2022, he tendered his resignation from the primary membership of INC citing that it was his belief that "the Indian National Congress is unable to realize and reflect the sentiments and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir."[11]

Ancestry

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References

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  1. ^ "Former Jammu and Kashmir King's grandson joins PDP - The New Indian Express". Archived from the original on 29 June 2016.
  2. ^ "One Dynasty is Dying, Other is Rising in Jammu And Kashmir".
  3. ^ JBR, PurushottamShamsher (1990). Shree Teen Haruko Tathya Britanta (in Nepali). Bhotahity, Kathmandu: Vidarthi Pustak Bhandar. ISBN 99933-39-91-1.
  4. ^ The Gwalior Royal Wedding Event covered in India Today]
  5. ^ Srishti Jha (30 December 2015). "On a heritage trail with Martand Singh, great grandson of Maharaja Hari Singh of Kashmir". India Today. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  6. ^ JK Dharmarth Trust
  7. ^ Excelsior, Daily (12 April 2016). "Dr Karan Singh's granddaughter to wed Capt Amarinder's grandson".
  8. ^ "Karan Singh's elder son to join Mufti's PDP". The Times of India. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  9. ^ Madhuri (22 October 2017). "J&K: PDP MLC leader Vikramaditya Singh resigns from party". Oneindia. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  10. ^ "Former PDP MLC Vikramaditya Singh joins Congress - Times of India". The Times of India. 11 October 2018. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  11. ^ @vikramaditya_jk (22 March 2022). "I hereby tender my resignation from the Indian National Congress. My position on critical issues vis-à-vis Jammu & Kashmir which reflect national interests do not align with that of the Congress Party. @INCIndia remains disconnected with ground realities" (Tweet). Retrieved 22 March 2022 – via Twitter.