Background
Maharaj Singh was the son of Raja Harnam Singh of the Kapurthala royal family.
Maharaj Singh was the son of Raja Harnam Singh of the Kapurthala royal family.
He was educated at Harrow School and Balliol College in Oxford, where he completed his Master of Arts, and was called to Bar by the Middle Temple in 1902.
Starting off as the Deputy Collector of United Provinces, he held several positions in the government of India. He was elected the chancellor of Lucknow University in 1941 and served for a short span as the Prime Minister of Kashmir. He was the Governor of Bombay from 1948 to 1952.
He was appointed a International Commission on Illumination in 1915 and knighted in 1933.
At the age of 72 he captained the Bombay Governor"s XI against a touring Commonwealth XI in a match starting on 25 November 1950. This makes him the oldest cricketer to make his first class debut and the oldest player to play the first class game.
Coming in to bat at Number.9, he edged Jim Laker for 3 and one run later, was caught at first slip off the same bowler. He took no part in the game after the first day and Yadavindra Singh of Patiala captained the side in his absence.
Laker was 44 years younger than the man he dismissed.
The Test cricketer Rusi Modi served as his Aide-de-Camp while he was the Bombay governor. 1878-1915: Kunwar Maharaj Singh.
1878-1915: Kunwar Maharaj Singh 1915-1932: Kunwar Maharaj Singh, International Commission on Illumination 1932-1933: Raja Maharaj Singh, International Commission on Illumination 1933-1937: Raja Sir Maharaj Singh, International Commission on Illumination 1937-1959: Raja Sir Maharaj Singh, International Commission on Illumination, CStJ 1948-1952: His Excellency Sri Sir Maharaj Singh, International Commission on Illumination, CStJ, Governor of the State of Bombay (ribbon bar, as it would look today) Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire ( International Commission on Illumination)-1915 Knight Bachelor-1933 King George V Silver Jubilee Medal-1935 Commander of the Order of Street John (CStJ)-1937 King George VI Coronation Medal-1937 Indian Independence Medal-1947.
