Maharaja Hari Singh remembered on 130th birth anniversary across J&K

Various political and social organisations across Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday paid rich tributes to Maharaja Hari Singh, the last Dogra ruler of the erstwhile princely state, on his 130th birth anniversary.

The Jammu and Kashmir BJP organised a commemorative event at its party headquarters in Jammu, which was attended by senior leaders including UT party chief Sat Sharma, Member of Parliament Jugal Kishore Sharma, and Rajya Sabha MP Gulam Ali Khatana.

Sat Sharma described Maharaja Hari Singh as a visionary ruler and legendary social reformer. “It is because of Maharaja Hari Singh that Jammu and Kashmir is an inseparable and proud part of India,” he said. Highlighting the Dogra ruler’s progressive initiatives, Sharma added, “He granted educational rights to women and the underprivileged, gave Dalits the right to worship, and introduced Panchayati Raj reforms. His philosophy was simple: as a ruler, he had no religion—justice was his religion.”

Jugal Kishore Sharma also lauded the Maharaja’s role in unifying Jammu and Kashmir with India. “Despite his immense love for the state, conspiracies forced Maharaja Hari Singh to leave his beloved land,” he said.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also paid homage in a statement. “Tributes to Maharaja Hari Singh Ji on his Janm-Jayanti. A statesman of excellence and harbinger of change, he introduced landmark reforms to ensure the welfare of the common man. His legacy of inclusive governance and progressive vision continues to inspire us,” Sinha stated.

The Congress also held a separate commemorative event. Senior party leaders, including working president Raman Bhalla, chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma, and former MLC Ved Mahajan, visited the Maharaja’s statue at Tawi Bridge, where they garlanded it before joining the celebrations.

Raman Bhalla hailed the Maharaja as a far-sighted and progressive ruler. “He brought landmark legislation to protect land, jobs, and the natural resources of Jammu and Kashmir, especially considering its status as a hilly, tourism-based state. The state subject laws he introduced reflect his vision,” Bhalla said.

Criticising the BJP-led central government, Bhalla added, “Maharaja Hari Singh’s erstwhile state has been disbanded, divided, and downgraded under BJP rule. This is a grave insult to the legacy of the last Dogra ruler.”

Meanwhile, several social groups marked the occasion with bike rallies and local events across the region to honour the Maharaja’s contributions to the state’s history and development.