SWEETY BHATNAGAR:
August 7, 1947 was a very significant day in the History of Bikaner as the Instrument of Accession was signed by then Maharaja on this date to accede to the Dominion of India. Lieutenant-General Sir Sadul Singh was the last reigning Maharaja of Bikaner from 2 February 1943 to 30 March 1949, continuing as Head of the House of Bikaner and holding the title of Maharaja of Bikaner until his death. As the time for Indian independence drew near, Maharaja Sadul was among the first princes to accede to the Dominion of India. With the departure of the British in 1947, the subsidiary alliance of 1818 came to an end and Bikaner was left as an independent state, with the choice falling to Maharaja Sadul Singh of acceding to one of the new dominions, India or Pakistan. In the event, Maharaja Sadul Singh was one of the first rulers of a princely state to sign an Instrument of Accession, on 7 August 1947, choosing India. Bikaner became part of the state of Rajputana, which was later renamed Rajasthan. On 30 March 1949, Maharja Sadul merged Bikaner into the United State of Greater Rajasthan, and died in London a year later, aged 48. His eldest son, Maharaja Dr. Karni Singh became the head of Bikaner throne, holding the title in pretense.
Maharaja Dr. Karni Singh became the elected Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) for Bikaner from 1952 to 1977. On 28 December 1971, India amended its Constitution to remove the position of the rulers of princely states and their right to receive privy-purse payments, thus making him the last ruler of Bikaner.
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