Ranbir Singh of Jind

Ranbir Singh himself pursued a military career, eventually rising to the rank of Brigadier in the British Army.

A progressive ruler, Singh built schools and hospitals, established charities for widows and orphans and instituted free primary education in Jind.

He caused controversy when marrying a Belgian-Romanian woman named Olive Monalescue; Lord Curzon was the Viceroy of India at the time.

Olive later took divorce from Ranbir Singh in 1928 and proceeded to London and settled there with her daughter Dorothy, who later committed suicide.

He was stone deaf for his last few years on the throne, before the Partition of India and during the course of World War II, and was largely a puppet of the Prime Minister at the time- Sir Behari Lall Dhingra.

[2] In March 1947, Singh celebrated his Diamond Jubilee, marking 60 years on the throne of Jind-the longest reign of any of the rulers of the Phulkian clan.