Vibhuti Narayan Singh
{{Short description|Indian scholar, Maharaja Bahadur of Benares from 1939–1948}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Vibhuti Narayan Singh
| title = Kashi Naresh
| image =
| caption =
| succession = Maharaja Bahadur of Kashi
| reign = 5 April 1939 – 15 August 1947
| predecessor = Aditya Narayan Singh
| successor = Office abolished
| birth_date = {{birth-date|5 November 1927}}
| birth_place = Ramnagar, Varanasi, Benares State, British Raj
| death_date = {{death-date and age|25 December 2000|5 November 1927}}
| death_place = Ramnagar, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| issue = 4
| house = Narayan dynasty
| house-type = Dynasty
| father = Aditya Narayan Singh (adoptive)
| succession1 = Titular Maharaja of Kashi
| reign1 = 15 August 1947 - 25 December 2000
| predecessor1 = Office established
| suc-type1 =
| successor1 = Anant Narayan Singh
}}
Vibhuti Narayan Singh (5 November 1927 – 25 December 2000) was the king of Benares, a city considered holy, located in the present-day Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. He was the last Bhumihar king of the Kingdom of Kashi.
Early life
Vibhuti Narayan Singh was born on 5 November 1927. He was adopted in June 1934 by Maharaja Aditya Narayan Singh (1874–1939), the King of Benares.{{cite news|title=Raja of Benares Passes Away|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=obE-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=QkwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5929%2C457954|access-date=7 May 2017|work=The Indian Express|date=5 April 1939}} The day after the Maharaja's death on 4 April 1939, Vibhuti Narayan Singh was appointed his successor to the Narayan dynasty.{{cite news|title=Successor of New Ruler Announced|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=orE-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=QkwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1345%2C528087|access-date=7 May 2017|work=The Indian Express|date=6 April 1939}}
Education
Singh studied at Mayo College, Ajmer. He received his master's degree in Sanskrit from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, where he studied with the famous grammarian, Vagish Shastri. He was a scholar of Sanskrit, Veda and Purana.Baldev Upadhyaya Kashi ki Panditya Parampara, Vishwavidyalaya Prakashan, Varanasi.
Contribution
On 28 January 1983 the Vishwanath Temple was taken over by the government of Uttar Pradesh and its management was transferred to a trust of which Singh was president.[http://varanasi.nic.in/temple/KASHI.html Official website of Varanasi]
In 1947, under his leadership, the Shree Kashi Naresh Education Trust laid the foundation of the Kashi Naresh Government Post Graduate College (KNPG), in the Gyanpur of Bhadohi district (U.P).[http://knpgcollege.page.tl/Home.htm KNPG College home page]
An intermediate college is named after him in Gyanpur and another in Surajpur at Mau district in Uttar Pradesh.{{Citation needed|date= April 2022}}
Death
Singh died on 25 December 2000. His body was cremated with state honours at Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi.{{cite news|title=Varanasi bids adieu to Kashi Naresh|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Varanasi-bids-adieu-to-Kashi-Naresh/articleshow/1624173205.cms|work=The Times of India|access-date=7 May 2017|date=27 December 2000}}
References
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{{succession box | before=Maharaja Aditya Narayan Singh | title=Rulers of Benares State | years=1939–1948 | after=Acceded to India}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, H.H.Maharaja.Vibhuti Narayan}}
Category:Banaras Hindu University alumni
Category:Indian Sanskrit scholars