Vibhuti Narayan Singh
Indian scholar, Maharaja Bahadur of Benares from 1939–1948
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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 as after his reign Princely states were abolished. Vibhuti Narayan Singh was a godly figure in Varanasi and he is still remembered as "Guardian of Kashi ".
| Vibhuti Narayan Singh | |
|---|---|
| Kashi Naresh | |
| |
| Maharaja Bahadur of Kashi | |
| Reign | 5 April 1939 – 15 August 1947 |
| Predecessor | Aditya Narayan Singh |
| Successor | Office abolished |
| Titular Maharaja of Kashi | |
| Reign | 15 August 1947 - 25 December 2000 |
| Predecessor | Office established |
| Successor | Anant Narayan Singh |
| Born | 5 November 1927 Ramnagar, Varanasi, Benares State, British Raj |
| Died | 25 December 2000 (aged 73) Ramnagar, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Issue | 4 |
| Dynasty | Narayan dynasty |
| Father | Aditya Narayan Singh (adoptive) |
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.[1] The day after the Maharaja's death on 4 April 1939, Vibhuti Narayan Singh was appointed his successor to the Narayan dynasty.[2]
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.[3]
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.[4]
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).[5]
An intermediate college is named after him in Gyanpur and another in Surajpur at Mau district in Uttar Pradesh.[citation needed]
Death
Singh died on 25 December 2000. His body was cremated with state honours at Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi.[6]