Maharaja Vishvendra Singh (born 23 June 1962), also known as Vishvendra Singh, is the titular Maharaja of Bharatpur and a politician who has served as the cabinet minister of tourism and civil aviation in Government of Rajasthan from November 2021 to December 2023.{{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KUKTAAAAIAAJ&q=Vishvendra+Singh+is+the+son+of+maharaja+brijendra+singh |title=India Today, Volume 10 |publisher=Thomson Living Media India Limited |year=1985 |pages= |access-date=5 October 2021}} He served as the Minister of Tourism and Devasthan in the Government of Rajasthan from December 2018 to July 2020. He was elected to the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly for three terms representing Nadbai in 1993 and Deeg-Kumher in 2013 and 2018. He was also elected to the Lok Sabha representing Bharatpur in 1989, 1999 and 2004.{{Cite web |title=Maharaja Vishvendra Singh Of Bharatpur |url=https://jatchiefs.com/maharaja-vishvendra-singh-of-bharatpur/ |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=Jat Chiefs |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=राजस्थान ऑडियो कांड : 34 साल के सियासी सफर में पहली बार मंत्री बने विश्वेंद्र सिंह यूं फंसे |url=https://hindi.oneindia.com/news/rajasthan/vishvendra-singh-viral-audio-political-career-and-biography-in-hindi-570296.html |website=One India}}

Early life

Singh, who hails from the Sinsinwar Jat clan of Bharatpur, was born into royalty on June 23, 1962, at Moti Mahal in Bharatpur. He is the son of Maharaja Sawai Brijendra Singh, the 13th Maharaja of Bharatpur.

Political career

Singh political career began with the Indian National Congress and became Zila Pramukh in 1988 and then he joined Janata Dal in 1989 and became member of the Lok Sabha for the first time after which he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1991. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the Lok Sabha representing Bharatpur for three terms from 1989 to 1991 as a member of Janata Dal, 1999 to 2009 as a member of the Bhartiya Janata Party.{{Cite web |title=IndiaVotes PC: Rajasthan 1989 |url=https://www.indiavotes.com/lok-sabha/1989/rajasthan/9/14 |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=IndiaVotes}}{{Cite web |title=IndiaVotes PC: Rajasthan 1999 |url=https://www.indiavotes.com/lok-sabha/1999/rajasthan/13/14 |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=IndiaVotes}}{{Cite web |title=IndiaVotes PC: Rajasthan 2004 |url=https://www.indiavotes.com/lok-sabha/2004/rajasthan/14/14 |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=IndiaVotes}} During his tenure, he was part of the Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests from 1999 to 2004, and the Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law & Justice in 2004 to 2009.

In 2008, Singh switched to the Indian National Congress due to conflicts with his BJP colleague Digamber Singh. His move to Congress marked his return to the party after two decades. As a member of Congress party, he contested the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly elections and has been elected as MLA for the Nadbai constituency from 1993 to 1998 and Deeg-Kumher constituency for two terms, 2013–2018 and 2018–2023.{{Cite web |date=2018-10-23 |title=Constituency watch: Three-time Bharatpur MP has the edge |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/constituency-watch-three-time-bharatpur-mp-has-the-edge/story-lP1vCLhOnaKLvwGcr41NqO.html |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}

Singh ministerial roles in the Rajasthan government have been significant. He served as the Minister of Tourism and Devasthan from December 2018 to July 2020, under chief minister Ashok Gehlot and deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot. Later, he held the portfolio of Tourism and Civil Aviation from November 2021 to December 2023.{{Cite news |date=2021-11-24 |title=Rajasthan: Vishvendra Singh takes charge as tourism minister in Ashok Gehlot govt |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/vishvendra-singh-sworn-in-as-tourism-minister-in-rajasthan-government/articleshow/87889959.cms |access-date=2024-05-21 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}

His political journey has been influenced by his royal heritage as the son of the last ruler of the princely state of Bharatpur, Maharaja Brijendra Singh. Despite the abolition of official symbols of princely India, including titles and privileges, in the 26th amendment to the Constitution of India in 1971, Singh’s royal background has provided him with a unique political leverage.

Rajasthan Legislative Assembly

class ="wikitable"
SI No. ! Year ! Legislative Assembly ! Constituency ! Margin ! Colspan=2\| Party ! Post
1. \|1993 \|10th \|Nadbai \|33,378 \|bgcolor=#00BFFF\| \|Indian National Congress \|MLA
2. \|2013 \|14th \|Deeg-Kumher \|11,162 \|bgcolor=#00BFFF\| \|Indian National Congress \|MLA
3. \|2018 \|15th \|Deeg-Kumher \|8,218 \|bgcolor=#00BFFF\| \|Indian National Congress \|MLA
.

class ="wikitable"

SI No.

! Year

! Legislative Assembly

! Constituency

! Margin

! Colspan=2| Party

! Post

1.

|1993

|10th

|Nadbai

|33,378

|bgcolor=#00BFFF|

|Indian National Congress

|MLA

2.

|2013

|14th

|Deeg-Kumher

|11,162

|bgcolor=#00BFFF|

|Indian National Congress

|MLA

3.

|2018

|15th

|Deeg-Kumher

|8,218

|bgcolor=#00BFFF|

|Indian National Congress

|MLA

.

Lok Sabha

class ="wikitable"
SI No. ! Year ! Lok Sabha ! Constituency ! Party ! Committee
1. \|1989 \|9th \|Bharatpur \|bgcolor=#138808\|Janata Dal \| -
2. \|1999 \|13th \|Bharatpur \|bgcolor=#FF9933\|Bhartiya Janta Party \|Member of the Committee on Science & Technology and Forest & Environment.
3. \|2004 \|14th \|Bharatpur \|bgcolor=#FF9933\|Bhartiya Janta Party \|Member of the Committee on Personal & Public Grievance and Law & Justice.

class ="wikitable"

SI No.

! Year

! Lok Sabha

! Constituency

! Party

! Committee

1.

|1989

|9th

|Bharatpur

|bgcolor=#138808|Janata Dal