PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: Two versions exist for the founding of the state, the Banswara version states that the country was taken from the Bhils by Kushal Singh of Banswara and given to Akhai Raj as a reward for services rendered; but the Kushalgarh version states that it was taken from the Bhils by Akhai Raj himself, and that it was named after the Bhil chief, Kushla, whom he defeated. As a result of frequent attempts on the part of the Maharawal of Banswara, to claim rights over the estate to which he was not entitled, Kushalgarh was finally declared to be practically independent of Banswara for all purposes other than payment of tribute and personal attendance on certain occasions. The Rao's position may be described in general terms as that of a mediatized or guaranteed feudatory. He deals directly with the assistant to the Resident in Mewar, he exercises civil and criminal powers in his own estate. Ancestors and rulers were....

• Rao Jodhaji, founder of Jodhpur, married (amongst others), a daughter of Raja Kheema Santawat of the Sonigra Chauhan clan of Jalore, and had issue.

  • Kunwar Bar (by Rani Chauhaniji) (qv)

  • Rao Dudaji (by Rani Chauhaniji), born 15th June 1440 at Mandaur, he was granted the Jagir of Merta in 1461 and became ancestor of the Mertia Rathore clan, including the Thakurs of Rian, Bijathal and Kuchaman, and Royal Family of Maroth (Abhaypura-Jiliya) and Minda, married and had issue. He died 1515.

1. Thakur BAR SINGH [VAR], Thakur of Merta, he was granted the Watan Jagir (Principality) of Merta in 1461, but he was dethroned by the Khilji Sultan of Mandu, and fled. His younger brother Rao Duda reconquered Merta after a decisive battle thereby assuming the throne of Merta State. Bar married and had issue, the Barsinghot Rathore clan.

   • Kunwar Sinhaji, married and had issue, the rulers of Jhabua.

   • Kunwar Askaranji, he succeeded as Thakur Askaranji of Merta (qv)

2. Thakur ASKARANJI, Thakur of Merta in exile, married and had issue.

   • Thakur Malaji (qv)

3. Thakur MALAJI, Thakur of Merta in exile, married and had issue.

   • Thakur Rama Singh (qv)

4. Thakur RAMA SINGH, Thakur of Merta in exile, married and had issue, the Ramawat BarSinghot Jodha clan. He died about 1631.

   • Thakur Akhairaj (qv)

5. Thakur AKHAIRAJ, Thakur of Kushalgarh, he was granted the Jagir of Kushalgarh in 1671, married and had issue.

   • Thakur Ajab Singh (qv)

6. Thakur AJAB SINGH, Thakur of Kushalgarh, married and had issue.

   • Thakur Kirat Singh (qv)

7. Thakur KIRAT SINGH, Thakur of Kushalgarh, married and had issue.

   • Thakur Achal Singh (qv)

8. Thakur ACHAL SINGH, Thakur of Kushalgarh, married and had issue.

   • Thakur Bhagwat Singh (qv)

9. Thakur BHAGWAT SINGH, Thakur of Kushalgarh, married and had issue.

   • Rao Zalim Singh (qv)

   • Kunwar Salam Singh, married and had issue.

     • Kunwar Hamir Singh, he was adopted by his uncle, Rao Zalim Singh (qv)

   • Kunwar Sardar Singh, he was granted the Jagir of Himmatgarh as his share of the patrimony.

10. Rao ZALIM SINGH, Rao of Kushalgarh, he was granted the title of Rao by the Maharana Bhim Singhji of Udaipur, married and had adoptive issue.

    • (A) Kunwar Hamir Singh, son of Kunwar Salam Singh, he succeeded as Rao Hamir Singh (qv)

11. Rao HAMIR SINGH, Rao of Kushalgarh, he succeeded by adoption, married and had issue.

    • Rao Zorawar Singh (qv)

    • Kunwar Takhat Singh, he was granted the Jagir of Tambesara as his share of the patrimony.

12. Rao ZORAWAR SINGH, Rao of Kushalgarh -/1891, married and had issue. He died 1891.

    • Kunwar Daulat Singh

    • Rao Udai Singh (qv)

    • Kunwar Jaswant Singh, born 1862, he was granted the Jagir of Chudabar (Ramgarh) as his share of the patrimony.

    • Kunwar Deep Singh

    • Rani Nath Kanwar, married 1886 (as his third wife), Raj Rana Rai Singhji III of Bari-Sadri. She died sp.

13. Rao UDAI SINGH, Rao of Kushalgarh 1891/1916, born 1855 (1858), married 1stly, at Panched in Ratlam, married 2ndly, Kumari Shri Nalini Kunwarba Sahiba, daughter of Kumar Shri Shivsinhji Govindsinhji of Hampar in Dhrangadhra, Halvad, and his second wife, Kumar-Rani Shri Monghi Kunwarba Sahiba, and had issue, three sons. He died 1916.

    • Yuvraj Ranjit Singh (by 2nd wife), he succeeded as Rao Ranjit Singhji (qv)

    • Rajkumar Laxman Singh (by 1st wife), he was granted the Jagir of Mohkampura (Pargana Patan) as his share of the patrimony, married Thakurani Chauhanji from Juwasa in Dungarpur State, and had issue two sons and one daughter.

      • Kunwar Raghubir Singh, died young.

      • Thakur Sahib Yagyanarayan Singh, married Thakurani Krishna Kumari Ba Sahiba, sixth daughter of Rana Gulabsinhji Gammelsinhji of Pratappur in Khandesh, and had issue, three sons and one daughter.

        • Thakur Bhupendra Vijay Singh, married 1stly, 17th May 1967, Thakurani Neeti Kumari, died 5th April 1972, daughter of Thakur Dr. Ripudaman Singh of Khandela Jnr., married 2ndly, Thakurani Sanyukta Kumari of Kutlehar, and has issue, four children.

          • Kunwar Giriraj Singh (by Rani Neeti Kumari), married 20th February 1994, Bhatyanisa Kunwrani Mahendra Kunwar, daughter of Rawlot Thakur Gulab Singh of Satto in Jaisalmer, and has issue, one son.

            • Bhanwar Akhairaj Singh Rathore, born 18th December 1994.

          • Kumari Anurita Kumari (by Rani Sanyukta Kumari), unmarried.

          • Yuvrani Sahiba Aditi Kumari (by Rani Sanyukta Kumari), married 27th April 2002, Maharajkunwar Shri Indreshwar Singhji Sahib, Yuvaraj of Sirohi.

          • Kunwar Aditya Vijai Singh (by Rani Sanyukta Kumari)

        • Kunwarani Praveen Prabha, married Maj. Kumar Shri Pradeep Singh Raol of Lakhanka, Bhavnagar State.

        • Thakur Dushyant Kumar Singh, married 19th January 1971, Thakurani Ranawatji Subhadra Kumari, daughter of Maharaj Narendra Singh Ranawat of Sarvanya in Gwalior State, and has issue, one son.

          • Kunwar Samar Singh, married 19th March 2011, Kunwarani Ekta Kumari, and has issue.

            • Bhanwar Prithvi Singh

            • Bhanwar Dhruv Singh

        • Thakur Luv Kumar Singh, married Rani Anusuya Kumari, sister of Thakur Mahendra Singh (former Member of Parliament and former Minister in M.P. State Government, former P.S. to the late Maharaja Madhava Scindia of Gwalior) and daughter of Thakur Mohan Singhji of Kalukheda Thikana, Gwalior, and has issue, two sons.

          • Kunwar Shakti Sharan Singh, married 11th December 1998, Kunwarani Chauhanji Dharmeshwari Kumari, daughter of Thakur Jitendra Singhji of Bankora in Dungarpur State, and has issue.

            • Bhanwar Kartikey Sharan Singh

            • Bhanwar Guru Sharan Singh

          • Kunwar Kirti Sharan Singh, married 10th February 2003, Rajkumari Archana Singh, born 22nd February 1976, daughter of Rao Shivraj Pal Singh of Inayati, Karauli State, and his wife, Rani Gopal Kanwar.

      • Kuwarani Padam Kunwar, married Kunwar Vijai Singhji, son of Thakur Madho Singhji of Eral in Panchmahal, Gujrat.

    • Rajkumar Chattar Singh (by 1st wife), he was granted the Jagir of Sarwa (Pargana Patan) as his share of the patrimony, married and had adoptive issue. He died spm.

      • (A) Rajkumar Inderjeet Singh, son of Rao Harendra Singhji of Kushalgarh, and his second wife, Rani Niranjana Kumari (see below).

14. Rao RANJIT SINGHJI, Rao of Kushalgarh 1916/-, born 2nd May 1882, succeeded 27th January 1916; married 1stly, at Bansi in Mewar, Rani Rasaal Kanwar, daughter of Rawat Man Singhji, 15th Rawat of Bansi, married 2ndly, at Kundla, and had issue, four sons and four daughter.

    • Yuvaraj Brijbihari Singh (by 1st wife), married in Khajurgaon, and had issue, one son. He died vp.

      • Bhanwar Harendra Singhji, he succeeded as Rao Harendra Singhji of Kushalgarh (qv)

    • Rajkumar Bharat Singh (by 2nd wife)

    • Rajkumar Dr. Ramchander Singh (by 2nd wife)

    • Rajkumar Udai Narayan Singh (by 2nd wife)

    • Kunwarani Goverdhan Kunwar (by 1st wife), married (as his second wife), Maharaj Shivdan Singhji of Shivrati in Mewar.

    • Rajkumari Mohan Devi (+), married Raj Kumar Sri Shesh Pratap Singh Deo (+), third son of Raja Shura Pratap Singh Dev Mahendra Bahadur of Dhenkanal, and his wife, Rani Krushna Priya Devi, and had issue, two daughters and one son.

    • Rani Pritam Kumari, married Raja Amarendra Mansingh Bharambar Rai, Raja Saheb of Dompada in Orissa, and had issue, one daughter.

    • Rani Jaswant Kumari, married 1947, Rawat Shambhu Singhji of Loonda, and has issue.

    • Rajkumari (name unknown), married the Thakur of Kalwad in Jaipur State.

15. Rao HARENDRA SINGHJI, Rao of Kushalgarh -/1967, born 11th May 1924, educated at Mayo College, Ajmer, married 1stly, 23rd May 1943 (separated 1948), Maharajkumari Jayvant Kunwarba Sahiba, daughter of Major HH Maharana Shri Maharaja Shri Raj Sir Ghanshyamsinhji Ajitsinhji Sahib Bahadur of Dhrangadhra, and his fifth wife, HH Maharani Nawal Kunwarba Sahiba, married 2ndly, Rajkumari Niranjana Devi, born 14th November 1929, eldest daughter of Maharaj Prithi Singh of Baria, and had issue. He died 21st February 1967.

    • Rao Manvendra Singhji (qv)

    • Rajkumar Indrajeet Singh (by Rani Niranjana Devi), born 19th December 1950, he was adopted by Rajkumar Chattar Singh of Kushalgarh (see above) and succeeded to his jagir of Sarwa; married Rajkumari Madhu Kumari (sister of Rani Gyaneshwari Kumari of Kushalgarh, see above), and has issue, a son and a daughter.

      • Kumari Urvashi Singh

      • Kunwar Bhartendu Singh

    • Rajkumari Prasanyta Kumari, born 6th September 1956, married 1stly, Kanwar Upendra Singh Jamwal of Barnai, born 31st August 1952, married 2ndly, Captain Arpan Anand, and has issue, one son and three daughters. -

      • Kumari Harshaeta Jamwal (by Upendra Singh Jamwal), born 1977, married Rajkumar Mrinal Singh of Dumraon, born 1971, and has issue.

      • Kunwar Hitendra Singh Jamwal (by Upendra Singh Jamwal)

      • Kumari Mahagrita Jamwal (by Upendra Singh Jamwal)

      • Arpanyta Sevati Anand (by Captain Arpan Anand)

16. Rao MANVENDRA SINGHJI, Rao of Kushalgarh (see above)

OTHER MEMBERS:

• Maharani Moti Kunwari, married Maharawat Dalpat Singh of Pratapgarh 1808-1864

• Unnamed Princess, married Thakur Niranjan Singh Ranawat of Kankarwa.

• Maharaj Bhanupratap Singh (P.O.Tambesara, Kushalgarh, via Udaigarh (W. RLY.), Banswara, Rajasthan, India)