PRESENT RULER: Apji VIJAY SINGH, present Apji Sahib of Palaitha since 1969.

M.Sc. (Agriculture), educated at Scindia School, Gwalior; former Member of the State Legislative Assembly and member of the Bhartiya Janata Party; married Rani Sushila Kumari, daughter of Raja Ram Singh of Khandela Senior, and has issue, two sons and one daughter.

• Kunwar Pratap Singh, married Kunwarani Namrata Kumari, daughter of Maharaj Pratap Singhji of Bikaner.

• Kunwar Sanjay Singh, married Kunwarani Pramila Kumari, and has issue.

  • Bhanwar Anup Singh, educated at Mayo College, Ajmer.

  • Bhanwar Nakul Singh, educated at Mayo College, Ajmer.

PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: The Jagir of Palaitha was granted to Maharaj Mohan Singh, second and favourite son of Rao Madho Singh (founder of Kotah and grandson of Sar Buland Rai Ram Raja Rao Ratan Singh of Bundi, Emperor Jahangir’s senior and trusted military commander and Panch Hazari Mansabdar) and his wife, Maharani Shyam Jodha, (daughter of Maharaja Suraj Singh of Jodhpur and sister of Maharaja Gaj Singh I of Jodhpur), in 1647 by a Shahi Firman direct of grant from the Mughal Court of Emperor Shah Jahan. The Palaitha Apji occupies the first seat on the right of the Maharao of Kotah in Durbar. Rulers were ...

• Maharaj MOHAN SINGH 1647/1658, he accompanied his father in most of his battles in Hindustan, Rajputana and Afghanistan, from the very young age of sixteen and served with him in Afghanistan – Balkh Badakshan, Kabul and Kandhar, where his father was the Governor of the Mughal Empire. Maharaj Mohan Singh was a commander in the Imperial Army and had a Mansab of 800 Zat and 800 Sowar; he, along with his brothers, Rao Mukund Singh of Kotah, Maharaj Jujhar Singh of Kotra, Maharaj Kunhiram Singh of Koela and Maharaj Kishore Singh of Sangod rallied in favor of the ageing Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, when his son Aurangzeb revolted against him and fought against him at the battlefield of Dharmat, now called Fatehbad, 65 kilometres out of Ujjain on 16th April 1658. Four out of the five brothers were killed in action, having displayed historic gallantry on the battlefield. Only the youngest Maharaj Kishore Singh of Sangod survived with multiple wounds. He later on went on to become the fourth Maharao of Kotah; Maharaj Mohan Singh married and had issue, fifteen sons and one daughter. He died in the Battle of Dharmat on 16th April 1658.

  • Apji PRATAP SINGH (qv)

  • Apji GOPAL SINGH (qv)

  • Apji KANAK SINGH (qv)

  • Apji Amar Singh, he was granted the Jagir of Nagda with 12 villages.

  • Apji Anup Singh, he was granted the Jagir of Dabri.

  • Apji Gomad Singh, along with his younger brother, he was granted the Jagir of Sorsdan with 12 villages.

  • Apji Akhay Singh , along with his elder brother, he was granted the Jagir of Sorsdan with 12 villages.

  • Apji Govardhan Singh, he was granted the Rajgarh with 5 villages.

  • Apji Gokul Singh, he was granted the Jagir of Badwa.

• Apji PRATAP SINGH

• Apji GOPAL SINGH

• Apji KANAK SINGH

• Apji SANGRAM SINGH ^(#1)

• Apji ROOP SINGH, he fought in the battle of Bundi in 1744, when Maharao Bhim Singh I of Kotah extensively grew the Kingdom from a Raj of the third order into one of the most powerful military states in Rajputana. This was the pinnacle period of Kotah’s military expansion. Apji Roop Singh was appointed as the Nirakshak of Bundi and was based at Taragarh, Bundi.

• Apji AMAR SINGH I, he succeeded his grandfather to the Gaddi of Palaitha; during his reign he took part in the Second Anglo Maratha War, married and had issue. He died in battle 6th July 1804 at Garot in Indore.

  • Apji AJIT SINGH (qv)

• Apji AJIT SINGH 1804/-, born 1783, he killed a tiger in single combat with a sword during his lifetime; after the Battle at Garot, Zalim Singh Jhala kept the grant of the land given by the British East India Company in lieu of Apji Amar Singh’s services at Garot for himself. This greatly infuriated Apji Ajit Singh who demanded that the land should belong to the Maharao of Kotah and part to the Thikana of Palaitha since it was for his father’s services that this grant was given. He flew into a fit of rage and attacked Zalim Singh Jhala. He was imprisoned and in all probability murdered or poisoned to death in prison at Kotah by Zalim Singh Jhala and Palaitha fort was blown to bits by the Jhala’s artillery except the portion where the temple of Ma Asapura is situated and the Thikana was absorbed into the State administration. The Maji Saheb of Palaitha moved to Brindavan where she lived for 26 years, before HH Maharao Ram Singhji Bahadur II, finally managed to throw the Jhalas out of Kotah and called her back. She was given back the Jagir of Palaitha and reinstated with full honours as before. Mundkati land (i.e. land given in compensation for blood in battle) given by the Sate back to Palaitha is still with the family at Village Bamori, Sultanpur, Kotah for the services rendered at Garot by Apji Amar Singh. She adopted Apji Fateh Singh from Nagda in 1832.

INTERREGNUM

• Apji FATEH SINGH 1832/1858, succeeded by adoption; married and had adoptive issue.

  • (A) Rao Bahadur Apji AMAR SINGH II (qv)

• Rao Bahadur Apji AMAR SINGH II 1858/1922, born 1852 as Kunwar Amar Singh, son of Apji Agar Singh of Nagda (a junior branch of the Palaitha family), he served as a Member of the State Council 1877/1897, and de facto ran the administration of Kotah State with utmost sincererity and diligence keeping the State interests foremost always in his mind; married and had issue. He died 1922.

  • Maj.Gen. Apji Sir ONKAR SINGH (qv)

  • Kunwar Pratap Singh, married Kunwarani Chandra Kanwar, daughter of Rawat RATAN SINGH of Bohera.

• Maj.-Gen. Apji Sir ONKAR SINGH 1922/1951, C.I.E., born 1872, educated at Mayo College, Ajmer where he was a recipient of the Viceroy’s Gold Medal for being the best student in 1885; he served Kotah State and HH Maharao Umed Singhji Bahadur in various capacities with great dedication and distinction; Inspector General of Police, State Police Chief, Chief of Staff of the Kotah State Forces 1921/1924 with the rank of Major General; Member Mahakma Khas 1924/1940 and Prime Minister of Kotah State thereafter; married 1stly, Rani (name unknown), had issue, one daughter, married 2ndly, Rani (Narayani Devi?) from Garabdesar in Bikaner, had issue, one son, married 3rdly, Rani Krishna Kumari, daughter of Thakur Nathu Singh of the Jagmoda Derola branch of the Isarda family, and had issue, five sons and four daughters. He died 1951.

  • Apji AJIT SINGH (by 2nd marriage) (qv)

  • Lt.-Col. Apji Dalel Singh, educated at Benaras Hindu University and in London; Member of the Constituent Assembly of India 1946/1950 and a signatory of the Constitution of India; he served as Secretary in various ministries in Jaipur State where his cousin, HH Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II was the ruler; he also served HH Maharao Bhim Singh II of Kotah from 1940 onwards and was asked by the Maharao to represent Kotah State at New Delhi in Parliament, married 1stly, Rani Jitendra Kumari, daughter of Thakur Devi Singhji of Chittora, and had issue, one daughter, married 2ndly, Rani Sajan Kumari, daughter of Col. Thakur Ranjit Singh M.B.E. of Khatipura in Jaipur, had issue two sons and three daughters.

    • Baisa Kamla Kumari, married Lt.-Gen. (ret'd.) Thakur Surendra Singh, son of Thakur Sajjan Singhji of Khajuri, Mandsaur, and had issue, two sons and one daughter.

      • Kunwar Ravi Raj Singh, educated at the Doon School, Dehradun and at St. Stephen's College, New Delhi, presently (2010), running a shipping business in the U.S.A.

      • Baisa Shruti Kumari, educated at Modern School, New Delhi and at Delhi University, married. (U.S.A.)

      • Kunwar Ritu Raj Singh, educated at Modern School, New Delhi and at Delhi University, presently (2010) a professional actor in TV and Theatre in Mumbai.

    • Apji Daleep Singh, educated at Doon School, Dehra Dun and St. Stephens College, New Delhi; retired after a long corporate career in the UK, he now divides his time between the U.K. and India, fishing and playing golf; married Angela Jane Garthwaite-Smith, and has issue, one son and two daughters. (Kotah, Rajasthan, India and U.K.)

      • Baisa Meera Kumari, born 1975, educated at Windsor Girls School, Windsor, UK, at the University of Leeds, U.K. and at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, London.

      • Kunwar Jai Singh, born 1979, educated at Windsor Boys School, Windsor, UK.; Career Executive in IT Recruitment in UK., married and has issue.

        • Bhanwar Roshan Singh born 2006 in UK

        • Bhanwar Enzo Singh born 2008 in UK

      • Baisa Anjali Singh, born 1979, educated at Windsor Girls School, Windsor, UK, and at the University of Southampton, UK., presently (2010), working in Event Management in London, UK.

    • Apji Ashok Singh, educated at Doon School, Dehra Dun and at the University of Baroda; married and had issue, two sons. He died 1992.

      • Apji Vikramaditya Singh, born 1973, wildlife artist, married Rani Jainandini Kumari, daughter of Rao Raja Hukum Singh of Jodhpur, and his wife, Rani Rajeshwari Kumari.

      • Apji Gautam Singh

    • Baisa Indu Kumari, educated at Sophia College, Ajmer and Rajasthan University, married Maharaj Amar Singhji, son of Maharaj Guman Singhji of Jodhpur, and had issue, one son and two daughters.

      • Maharaj Ajai Singh

      • Rajkumari Nalini Kumari

      • Rajkumari Menal Kumari

    • Baisa Shashi Kumari, educated at Maharani Gayatri Devi Girl's School, Jaipur and Delhi and Rajasthan University; married Kunwar Sahib Ajai Sinhji of Sitamau, and has issue, two sons.

      • Ratan Singh Rathore

      • Anshuman Singh Rathore

    • Baisa Piyush Kumari, educated at Maharani Gayatri Devi Girl's School, Jaipur, married Kunwar Manohar Singh, son of Thakur Kahn Singhji of Roda in Bikaner.

  • Lt.-General (retd.) Apji Bahadur Singh, M.B.E., born 5th August 1910, one of India’s celebrated Military officers, Apji Bahadur Singh was a graduate of the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, UK where he gained entry as the top student from India. He was commissioned into the then British Indian Army, Hyderabad Regiment in 1931. He fought in the Second World War in the Malaya - Singapore theatre and was a POW for more than 12 months in a Japanese Camp. He returned back to India in very poor health and despite these setbacks went on to become the Colonel of the Kumaon Regiment and General Officer Commanding in Chief of the Central Command of the Indian Army from 1962-1966; he served as Lt. Governor of the Union Territory of Himachal Pradesh [16.5.1967] - [24.1.1971]; married Rani Rajendra Kumari of Barwani, and had issue, one son and four daughters. He died 8th May 2007 at Kota in Rajasthan.

    • Apji Jaivir Singh Palaitha, educated at Doon School, Dehra Dun; he is a Travel and environmental / wildlife expert; married and has issue, two sons.

      • Lt. Col. Kunwar Jagat Singh, educated at Rajkumar College, Rajkot; Commissioned into the Fourth Kumaon, same regiment as his Grandfather; he took an active part in anti insurgency operations in the Kashmir Valley and the North East of India.

      • Kunwar Bharat Singh, educated at Mayo College, Ajmer; a Business executive, he is presently based between Gurgaon and Kotah.

    • Baisa Jyotsna Kunwar, educated at Maharani Gayatri Devi Girl's School, Jaipur.

    • Baisa Jaya Kunwar, educated at Maharani Gayatri Devi Girl's School, Jaipur.

    • Baisa Padmini Kunwar, educated at Maharani Gayatri Devi Girl's School, Jaipur.

    • Baisa Durga Kunwar, educated at Maharani Gayatri Devi Girl's School, Jaipur.

  • Lt. Col. Apji Raj Singh, educated at Benaras Hindu University; he served with the Jaipur State Forces of his cousin, HH Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II, the Sawai Man Guards and fought during the Second World War in Eritrea and Ethiopia in North Africa, married and had issue, one daughter and one son.

    • Baisa Usha Kumari

    • Apji Hanuwant Singh, educated at Lawrence School, Sanawar; married and had issue, two sons.

      • Apji Hamir Singh, an agriculturist, he is involved with farming in Kotah.

      • Prof. Apji Dhir Singh, Professor of Biology in Kotah.

  • Lt. Col. Apji Ranjit Singh, he was Commissioned in 1941 into the Kotah State Forces, Umed Infantry and later the Indian Army, Brigade of the Guards; he took an active part in the First Indo-Pak war of 1947 in the Kashmir sector; married Rani Umed Kumari, daughter of Col. Thakur Ranjit Singh M.B.E. of Khatipura in Jaipur, and had issue, two sons.

    • Apji Shivraj Singh, IAS Retd., educated at the Doon School, Dehra Dun and St Stephen’s College, New Delhi; he served in the Indian Administrative service for 37 years with distinction 1965/2002; granted Superannuation in a Rank of Chief Secretary, West Bengal Cadre; he also served extensively in the Central Government at New Delhi in various ministries in several designations; he is currently retired and is based between Kotah, Palaitha and Gurgaon; married Rani Roma Rajyashree Singh, daughter of late Maj.Gen. Subarna Shumshere Jung Bahadur Rana of Nepal, founder of the Nepali Congress Party which currently rules Nepal and former Finance Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Prime Minister of Nepal, and has issue, one son.

      • Kunwar Rishiraj Singh, educated at the Doon School, Dehra Dun and at Mangalore University; he is a Director and Business Leader for Asia Pacific and China for Business and General Aviation with Honeywell Aerospace, a Fortune 50 Company with a $35 Billion turnover; based at Shanghai and headquartered out of Phoenix, USA; married Kunwarani Satchida Rajya Laxmi Singh, recently completed her Master’s as a World Bank scholar at the University of Sussex in the UK after a decade long service with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, where she has served in the secretariat also in Geneva of the IFRC for three years, daughter of late Gen. H.E. Satchit Shumshere Jung Bahadur Rana of Nepal, Former Chief of Staff of the Royal Nepalese Army, Royal Nepalese Ambassador to the Union of Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and Executive Working Member of His Majesty’s Governments Privy Council of Nepal - Raj Parishad; and his wife, Rani Asha Rajya Laxmi Rana, and has issue, two daughters and one son.

        • Bhanwar Baisa Shivranjani Kumari Singh, currently (2010) studying at Mayo College Girls School, Student of Merit and MCGS Exchange Student to NASA, USA.

        • Bhanwar Baisa Rishinandini Kumari Singh, currently (2010) studying at Mayo College Girls School.

        • Bhanwar Ranvijay Singh, currently (2010) studying in British International School- Nord Anglia, Shanghai, China.

    • Apji Bharat Singh, educated at the Doon School, Dehra Dun and at St Stephen’s College; he is a CEO and Business Executive in a Corporate career spanning 40 years; married Rani Mrinalini Raje Singh, daughter of late Sardar Ranjit Singh Phalke of Gwalior, and has issue, two daughters. (New Delhi, Jaipur and Kotah)

      • Baisa Gitanjali Kumari Singh, educated at the Welham Girls School, Dehra Dun and Lady Shriram College, New Delhi; she works as a National Program Officer with the United Nations – UNIFEM at New Delhi and has been in UN service since 1998.

      • Baisa Divya Kumari Singh, educated at the Welham Girls School, Dehra Dun; she is involved in the Travel Business.

  • Maj. Apji Abhay Singh, he was Commissioned into the 17 Poona Horse and saw extensive active action in the Second World War in various theatres of battle. He fought in North Africa and served with the Armoured regiment of the Indian division. He was a part of the allied forces which invaded and occupied Italy; married Rani Chand Kumari, daughter of Col. Thakur Ranjit Singh M.B.E. of Khatipura in Jaipur, and had issue, three daughters.

    • Baisa Indira Kumari, married Maharaj Lokendra Singh, son of HH Maharaja Mahendra Narendra Singh Ju Deo Bahadur of Panna, and has issue, two daughters.

    • Baisa Pramila Kumari

    • Baisa Shiv Kumari

  • Baisa (name unknown) (by 1st wife), married 1911, Thakur Nahar Singh of Kuchaman, and had issue, one son.

  • Baisa Mohan Kanwar, married Thakur Surendra Singh of Khachariawas, and had issue, three sons.

  • Baisa Tej Kanwar, married Maharaj Virbhadra Singh of Dungarpur, and had issue, one son and two daughters.

  • Baisa Suraj Kanwar, born 1917, married Thakur Himmat Singhji of Khudala, and had issue, three sons and four daughters. She died 1999.

    • Rani Lakshmi Kumari, born 28th March 1952, married Raja Chandrakant Singh of Kotla, and has issue.

      • Rajkumarani Bhuvaneshwari Singh, born 11th September 1970, married 14th April 1993, Rajkumar Devendra Singh of Rampura, and has issue, one son and one daughter.

  • Baisa Jaswant Kumari, married 1940, Thakur Heer Singhji of Sankhu in Bikaner, and had issue, one son and two daughters.

• Apji AJIT SINGH 1951/1969, educated at Benaras Hindu University, married Rani Navnidhi Kumari, daughter of Thakur Devi Singh of Chomu, and had issue, two sons and two daughters.

  • Apji VIJAY SINGH (qv)

  • Apji Jaswant Singh, educated at Scindia School, Gwalior; married Thakurani Jaswant Kumari, daughter of Thakur Laxman Singh of Ghanerao, and his wife, Thakurani Prem Kumari, and has issue, two daughters.

    • Smt Vinay Kumari, educated at Welham Girls School, Dehra Dun.

    • Baisa Lalit Kumari, educated at Welham Girls School, Dehra Dun.

  • Baisa Sushila Kumari, married Lt.-Col. Ajit Singh, and had issue one son and one daughter.

  • Rani Sahiba Asha Kumari, married Raja Rajendra Dev Singh of Poonch, and has issue, two sons.

• Apji VIJAY SINGH (see above)