Yadavindra Singh (1914–1974) was an Indian cricketer, diplomat, and the last reigning Maharaja of Patiala, holding the throne from 1938 until the integration of the princely state into independent India. He represented India in Test cricket and later served the country in several diplomatic capacities.
| Full name | Yadavindra Singh |
|---|---|
| Born | 1914 |
| Died | 1974 |
| Title | Maharaja of Patiala (1938–1947) |
| Profession | Cricketer; diplomat |
| Nationality | Indian |
Yadavindra Singh belonged to the ruling family of the princely state of Patiala in the Punjab region. He succeeded to the gaddi (throne) of Patiala in 1938 and reigned until 1947, the year of Indian independence and the eventual integration of the princely states into the Indian Union. Patiala was among the most prominent Sikh princely states under the British Raj, and its rulers had a long association with the patronage of cricket in India.
Yadavindra Singh played at the highest level of the game and is recorded among the cricketers who represented India in Test cricket during the pre-independence era. Like his father, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, he was a noted patron of cricket in India, and the Patiala royal household played a significant role in the early development of organised cricket in northern India.
After the merger of Patiala with the Indian Union, Yadavindra Singh served the Government of India in diplomatic roles, representing the country abroad as part of India's foreign service postings during the post-independence decades.
Yadavindra Singh occupies an unusual place in twentieth-century Indian history as a figure who transitioned from being a sovereign ruler of a princely state to a representative of the modern Indian republic. His career reflects the broader transformation of India's princely elite after 1947, many of whom moved into public service, sport administration, or diplomacy.