A staunch Indian nationalist, Ripudaman Singh befriended Lala Lajpat Rai and other prominent leaders of the swaraj movement.

During the First World War, he refused to contribute Nabha state force contingents for the British Indian Army.

In 1923, he was forced to relinquish control of Nabha to a British administrator after he was suspected of kidnapping and attempted murder through poisoning.

In 1927, he went on pilgrimage to Sri Abichal Nagar Hazur Sahib and retook the Khalsa initiation rites, taking the name of Gurcharan Singh.

The next year, he was formally deposed by the British for sedition and succeeded by his eldest son, Pratap Singh Nabha in 1928.