Gian Singh Rarewala
{{Short description|Indian politician (1901–1979)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Gian Singh Rarewala
| image = File:Gian Singh Rarewala ex CM.png
| caption =
| birth_date = 16 December 1901
| birth_place = Rara Village, Patiala State {{small|(now in Punjab, India)}}
| residence =
| death_date = 31 December 1979 (aged 78)
| death_place =
| office2 = 1st Premier of PEPSU
| term_start2 = 15 July 1948
| term_end2 = 23 May 1951
| predecessor2 = Post Established
| successor2 = Raghbir Singh
| office1 = Chief Minister of the Patiala and East Punjab States Union
| term_start1 = 22 April 1952
| term_end1 = 5 March 1953
| predecessor1 = Raghbir Singh
| successor1 = President's rule
| constituency1 = Amloh
| party = Independent (till 1956)
Indian National Congress (1956-1968)
Shiromani Akali Dal (1968-1979)
| spouse =
| children = Nirlep Kaur
| parents =
| constituency =
| office3 = Leader of opposition in Punjab assembly
| term_start3 = 9 March 1967
| term_end3 = 24 November 1967
| predecessor3 = Gurnam Singh
| successor3 = Gurnam Singh
| constituency3 = Payal
| office4 = President of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee
| term_start4 = 7 July 1955
| term_end4 = 16 October 1955
| predecessor4 = Bawa Harkrishan Singh
| successor4 = Tara Singh
}}
Sardar Gian Singh Rarewala (16 December 1901 – 31 December 1979) was an Indian politician and the first Chief Minister (actually designated as the Prime Minister) of the former state of the Patiala and East Punjab States Union.{{cite news|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20011216/edit.htm#1|title=Rarewala: A Punjabi-loving gentleman-aristocrat|author=Singh, Roopinder|date=16 December 2001|work=The Tribune}}{{Cite web |date=6 November 2016 |title=Prominent Players |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/arts/prominent-players-318724/ |access-date=17 April 2025 |website=The Tribune}} He was also a Member of the Punjab Legislative Assembely multiple times.
Personal life and background
Rarewala was born on 16 December 1901, at Rara village, Patiala. He was a descendant of Ratan Singh Bhangu, author of Panth Prakash. His sister, Jaswant Kaur, married Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala.{{Cite book |last=Dulat |first=A. S. |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/A_Life_in_the_Shadows/XaigEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv |title=A Life in the Shadows: A Memoir |date=22 December 2022 |publisher=HarperCollins Publishers India |isbn=978-93-5629-597-1}} Rarewala studied in Patiala and graduated from Mahindra College in 1924. He joined the judicial service of the princely state of Patiala. Later, he became a High Court judge for Patiala State. He also served as a Revenue Commissioner and Revenue Minister for Patiala state and finally he was the Prime Minister of Patiala state from 1946 to 1947. His daughter, Nirlep Kaur, was also a politician and served as a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha.{{cite news |last1=Sharma |first1=Amaninder Pal |date=14 March 2014 |title=Patiala royals reign supreme in politics too |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/Patiala-royals-reign-supreme-in-politics-too/articleshow/31977966.cms |accessdate=5 May 2025 |work=The Times of India}}
Political career
Rarewala became a representative of Patiala in the Constituent Assembly of India on 28 April 1947.{{cite web|url=http://164.100.47.132/lssnew/constituent/vol3p1.pdf|title=Constituent Assembly of India Debates (Proceedings) - Vol. III|publisher=Parliament of India website|accessdate=16 April 2010|location= }} The Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU) was formed later on 15 July 1948. A caretaker government was formed on 22 August 1948 with Rarewala as its Premier. On 13 January 1949 a broad-based ministry was constituted and Rarewala was sworn in as its Prime Minister. When this ministry was dissolved, Rarewala remained the premier of the caretaker ministry from 18 November 1949 to 23 May 1951.
In 1951, Rarewala was elected to the PEPSU Legislative Assembly from the constituency of Payal as an independent candidate. He became the Chief Minister of the PEPSU on 22 April 1952, heading a United Front ministry. Thus, he became the first non-Congress Chief Minister of any state in independent India.{{cite journal | url=http://www.epw.in/system/files/pdf/1952_4/19-20/conditional_mandate_for_congress.pdf | title=Conditional Mandate for Congress | journal=Economic and Political Weekly |date=May 1952 | volume=4 | issue= 19-20, 17 May 1952}} He was in office until 5 March 1953 when the President's rule was imposed and his government was dismissed. He became the president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee in 1955. After the merger of the PEPSU with the Punjab state in 1956, he became a member of the Indian National Congress and elected to the Punjab Legislative Assembly in 1957. Rarewala became the Irrigation Minister in the Pratap Singh Kairon Cabinet. He was re-elected to the Punjab Legislative Assembly in 1962 and 1967. In 1967 he was appointed leader of opposition in Punjab assembly.
On 14 December 1968, Rarewala left Congress and joined the Shiromani Akali Dal, likely because of his differences with Morarji Desai. He remained a member until his death.
References
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Category:Shiromani Akali Dal politicians
Category:Members of the Constituent Assembly of India
Category:Punjab, India MLAs 1957–1962
Category:Punjab, India MLAs 1962–1967
Category:Punjab, India MLAs 1967–1972
Category:Chief ministers from Shiromani Akali Dal
Category:Chief ministers of Indian states
Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Punjab, India