Why The Royals Gathered in Dilli

Some of India's best-known royals gathered in New Delhi to watch the final of the Sir Pratap Singh Polo Cup, which is named after Sir Pratap Singh, the man credited with the foundation of modern polo in India.

'Born in 1845 and popularly known as the Maharaja of Idar, Sir Pratap Singh was a visionary who laid the foundation of modern polo in India. In 1921, he presented the Connaught Polo Cup to the Indian Polo Association to commemorate the visit of the Duke of Connaught to India,' the Umaid Bhawan Palace tweeted on Sunday.

'In his appreciation the cup has since been renamed after him. We commemorate the centenary of his legacy with the Sir Pratap Singh Polo Cup 2022 -- one of the most spectacular tournaments of the sport of regality,' Umaid Bhawan Palace -- whose owner Gaj Singh, the maharaja of Jodhpur, is a huge aficionado of the sport of kings -- informed us.

IMAGE: Maharaj Gaj Singh of Jodhpur with Madhya Pradesh Sports Minister Yashodhara Raje during the final.
Yashodhara Raje is the late Rajmata of Gwalior Vijaya Raje Scindia's youngest daughter.

IMAGE: Vikramaditya Singh of Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh's grandson and Dr Karan Singh's eldest son, with his wife Chitrangada Singh whose late father Madhavrao Scindia was the maharaja of Gwalior; her younger brother Jyotiraditya is India's civil aviation minister and also the current maharaja of Gwalior.

IMAGE: Maharaja Gaj Singh's son Shivraj Singh suffered a serious head injury playing polo in 2005. The maharaja's wife Nalini Rajya Lakshmi Devi is the daughter of King Tribhuvan of Nepal, who ruled the kingdom from 1911 to 1955.

IMAGE: Chitrangada Singh's daughter Mriganka is married to Nirvan Singh, Captain Amarinder Singh's grandson.
Mriganka's maternal family are the Scindias of Gwalior; her paternal family are the Dogra rulers of Kashmir; her great grandfather Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession with India.

IMAGE: Businessman Naveen Jindal, whose legal battle enabled every Indian to unfurl the Tiranga in their homes, watches his team, the Jindal Panthers, during the final.

IMAGE: Omar Abdullah was an unusual spectator at the final.

And now, glimpses from the action on the polo ground itself:

IMAGE: The Sahara Warriors and Jindal Panthers contested the final match of the Sir Pratap Singh Cup at the Jaipur polo ground in New Delhi, November 6, 2022. All photographs: Atul Yadav/PTI Photo

Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com

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