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Born on 19 August 1919, the son of Lieutenant-General
Maharaja Sir Bhupinder Singh, the glamorous princely ruler of the
state of Patiala in Southern Punjab. Brought up in the lap of luxury,
Bhalendra Singh shot up into a tall, handsome and lissom young man,
with remarkable prowess in several branches of athletics.
When his elder brother Yadavinder Singh, the heir apparent of Patiala
state, was getting ready to don colours for India against Lord Tennyson's
team (1937-38), Bhalendra Singh was playing cricket for Southern
Punjab, a formidable outfit, which claimed among its members famous
cricketers of the day, such as Nissar, Amir Alahi and L. Amar Nath
who later rose to be India's Test captain.
Bhalendra Singh was educated at the Aitchison College, Lahore, where,
besides cricket, he distinguished himself in riding, polo and tennis.
The Maharaja of Patiala had ace cricketers such as Col Mistry and
Frank Tarrant, the Australian, to train his children. He also had
famous Sikh scholars, notably Pandit Ram Basant Singh, to teach
them the religious canon of their faith. Bhalendra Singh was exceptionally
well prepared to excel in study as well as in sports. He worked
as hard as he played. He proved first-rate in athletics, tennis,
swimming, shooting and angling.
Very rarely in the history of the College had any one prince displayed
such notable proficiency in so many diverse fields of sportsmanship.
Bhalendra Singh succeeded in doing all this without any detriment
to his academic work. He was not greatly interested in shikar or
gun-dogs - two activities to which his father was passionately attached.
His own interests were finally divided between cricket and tennis.
Another of his major interests was Indian classical music. A favourite
hobby was cooking and he also turned out a book of recipes. He spent
a time at Cambridge University where he continued to play first-grade
cricket, excelling as a slow bowler, Slow-bowling had always been
his forte.
After India's Independence, Bhalendra Singh held important positions
in national sports. He was for many an year associated with the
Amateur Athletic Federation of India, the Swimming Federation of
India and the Indian Hockey Federation. In 1947, he became a life
member of the International Olympic Committee and in 1959 he was
elected president of Indian Olympic Association which office he
continued to hold until 1975. He had another term in that office,
1980 to 1984.
He was the architect of the Asian Games movement and was the moving
figure behind the Asian held in New Delhi during 1982. At the opening
ceremonies of the Games he shared the podium with the President
of India, Giani Zail Singh.
Raja Bhalendra Singh had occupied with outstanding efficiency some
high-ranking positions in the civil administration of Patiala state.
He had been working in the Home and Education departments of Patiala
and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU) as secretary until its amalgamation
with the Punjab. Raja Bhalendra Singh was known for his exceptionally
genteel and refined manner. His finesse and urbanity of speech were
unmatched.
Raja Bhalendra Singh died in Delhi on 16 April 1992.
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