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Her grandfather, His
Highness Maharaja Sadul Singhji of Bikaner, was the first prince to accede
his State into the India Union at the time of Independence and thereby
provided the important historic lead to all others to follow suit and
which led to the creation of an United India. Her father His Highness Dr.
Karni Singh, Maharaja of Bikaner, served as an independent Member of
Parliament from 1952-1977 for an uninterrupted period of 25 years in the
Lok Sabha- the elected House of People.
He represented India in four Olympics, Five World Shooting
Championships, and numerous other international clay Pigeon Shooting
Championship. In the Cairo World Shooting Championship in 1962 he tied for
the Gold Medal in the Clay Pigeon Traps event.
Her father had also won the “ARJUNA
AWARD” in 1961 like
herself and both father and daughter winning this award is an unique
achievement and record of which the people of Bikaner are very proud. This
father and daughter team has been responsible for many medals and for the
Indian Flag being raised, at shooting competitions all over the world. At the
age of seven she had the unique distinction of winning the National Air
Rifle Championship in the below twelve years of age junior section.
Furthermore, and significantly, the Princess beat all competitors in all
age group in air rifle shooting and won the open championship trophy first
at the age of ten and then a gain at the age of twelve.
At the age of 14 at the All India Selection Trials held at Ahmedabad
during the year 1967 she set a new All India record of 358/400 in Air
Rifle Shooting by beating her nearest rival, an army man, by a big margin
of 33 points. In Japan in 1967 still at the age of 14 she own the 21st
place. In this competition she was the only woman competitor and a junior.
The score of winner of the Gold Medal at this competition was 367/400. Her
score 358/400 set at Ahmedabad is the highest score shot in the standing
position set by any Indian.
At the 13th National Shooting Championship held in Madras in
1968, Princess Rajyashree Kumari at the age of 15 won all the items in
which she entered and won the largest number of gold medals in shooting.
At the 14th National Shooting Championships held at Bhopal in
February 1969 Princess Rajyashree Kumari competed for Ladies Olympic Clay
Pigeon Trap event and secured 77/100 which score is equal to the score of
third position holder in the World Shooting Championship held at Bologna
in 1967. She captained the Bikaner Thunderbolts Rifle Club at Bhopal
National at won the team Olympic trap championships at finished second in
the Ladies Clay Pigeon trap shooting championship. At the selection trials
held at Delhi for the San Sebastian (Spain) World Shooting Championship
Princess Rajyashree secured 82/100 in Clay Pigeon Traps which is equal to
the second position score of the Bologna World Shooting Championships
Ladies Trap 1967 score.
During the 16th National Shooting Championships Rajyashree
stood first in the open Ladies Trap Shooting Championships and third in
open Trap Shooting Championships.
At the II Asian Shooting Championships in the individual clay
Pigeon trap shooting she was placed on the 14th position with a
score of 152/200. India was
the only country who entered Women Shooters in an otherwise all male Trap
Contestants. Also she was a
Member of the Clay Pigeon Trap Shooting Team and helped Indian to win the
Bronze Medal in the Clay Pigeon trapshooting event (team).
Rajyashree Kumari’s score was 118/150.
At the National Shooting Championship in 1970 the Princess scored 92 out
of 100 in Trapshooting (IR). This national record established by her when she was only 17
years old is still unbeaten.
At the
1972, XVII : National Shooting Championship held at Delhi Princess
Rajyashree was third in Clay Pigeon Trap National Championships (open to
all) and she was National Champion in All India Ladies Clay Pigeon Trap
Shooting Championships.
At the National
Shooting Championship at Chandigarh in 1975 the Princess won Second place
in Trap Shooting, beating all male competitors.
Her father, His Highness Dr. Karni Singh, Maharaja of Bikaner, won
first place.
Since 1969, for political reasons, India has stopped participation in the
World Shooting Championship series. This
championship series had separate ladies competitions in Trap and Skeet
shooting and as the Indian Government stopped participation the women
shooters of India have lost the opportunity to compete in international
events. The Olympic, Asian
shooting competition, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games have no separate
item for women and this makes it impossible for them to compete.
Her other
interests include the preservation of heritage properties and ancestral
Forts and Palaces that belong to the Bikaner family. Member of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).
Preservation of Wildlife. Helped
the Maharaja in setting up the Sadul Museum in Lallgarh Palace, Bikaner.
Working on many Projects concerning Publishing of books related to
the family history and properties, reprinting the old books and TV
documentaries and films. Chairperson of Public Charitable Trusts set up by late
Maharaja Karni Singhji that carry out numerous Charitable and other useful
works for the people of Bikaner. She
has recently launched a public charitable trust in the sacred memory of
her father known as “Maharaja
Dr. Karni Singhji Memorial Foundation” and proposes to bring large amount of funds from
abroad in this trust, which will be utilized for the benefit of the
people. Rajyashree
Kumari has one daughter, Anupama Kumari, and a son Sajjan Singh Gohel.
Postal
Address: Lallgarh Palace, Bikaner-334 001 (Rajasthan) India.
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About
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