Bikaner State was a princely state in the Bikaner region from 1465 to 1947. Its capital was the city of Bikaner in the northern area of present-day Rajasthan State in India.
Covering an area of 60,391 km2 (23,317 sq mi), Bikaner State was one of the largest states under the Rajputana Agency. Heeding the call of Vallabhbhai Patel to integrate the princely states into the new independent India, Bikaner's last king, Maharaja Sadul Singh, advised by his dewan K. M. Panikkar, a respected historian, was one of the first rulers of a princely state to display willingness to join the Indian Union. By issuing a public appeal in April 1947 to his fellow princes to join the Constituent Assembly of India, the Maharaja of Bikaner set an example for other heads of the native states to follow.
The state of Bikaner was founded in 1465. It became a British protectorate on 9 March 1818. Its rulers were Rajputs belonging to the Rathore dynasty. They were accorded a 17 gun salute by the British authorities. By the time of Indian Independence, the territory of the state of Bikaner shared a border with Pakistan. The accession to the Indian Union was signed by the Maharaja on 7 August 1947.
19 Jun 1698 – 15 Dec 1700 Sarup Singh (b. 1689 - d. 1700)15 Dec 1700 – 16 Dec 1735 Sujan Singh (b. 1690 - d. 1735)16 Dec 1735 – 15 May 1746 Zorawar Singh (b. 1713 - d. 1746)15 May 1746 – 25 Mar 1787 Gaj Singh (b. 1723 - d. 1787)25 Mar 1787 – 25 Apr 1787 Raj Singh II (b. 1744 - d. 1787)25 Apr 1787 - 9 Oct 1787 Pratap Singh (b. 1781 - d. 1787)25 Apr 1787 – 25 Mar 1828 Surat Singh (Regent to 9 Oct 1787) (b. 1766 - d. 1828)25 Mar 1828 - 7 Aug 1851 Ratan Singh (b. 1790 - d. 1851)7 Aug 1851 – 16 May 1872 Sardar Singh (b. 1818 - d. 1872)16 May 1872 – 19 Aug 1887 Dungar Singh (b. 1854 - d. 1887)19 Aug 1887 - 2 Feb 1943 Ganga Singh (b. 1880 - d. 1943) (from 24 Jul 1901, Sir Ganga Singh)19 Aug 1887 – 16 Dec 1898 the British Political Agents -Regent2 Feb 1943 – 15 Aug 1947 Sadul Singh (b. 1902 - d. 1950) (from 1 Jan 1946, Sir Sadul Singh)Maharaj Karni SinghMaharaj Narendra SinghMaharaj Ravi Raj Singh -PresentThe Dewans and Chief Ministers of the state were:
17.. - 26 Feb 1733 Anand Ram Khawas (d. 1733)1735 - Feb 1751 Mohta Bakhtawar Singh (1st time) (b. 1707 - d. 1779)Feb 1751 - 1752 Amar Singh Chaturbhujani1752 - 1756 Mohta Bakhtawar Singh (2nd time) (s.a.)1756 - Dec 1757 Mohta Prithvi Singh1757 - 1762 Mohta Bakhtawar Singh (3rd time) (s.a.)1762 - Sep 1765 Shah Mool Chand BardiyaSep 1765 - 1779 Mohta Bakhtawar Singh (4th time) (s.a.)1779 - 178. Mohta Swaroop Singh178. - 1787 Mohta Thakursi1787 - 1791 Mohta Madho Rai1791 - 1794 Pratap Mal Baid1794 - 1805 Mohta Rao Sahib Singh Gun RoopApr 1805 - Apr 1815 Amar Chand SuranaApr 1815 - Feb 1816 Mohta BhomjiFeb 1816 - 1828 Abhai Singh Mohta1828 - 184. Hindu Mal Baidc.1841 Sri Narayan Singh Bhati1844 - 1852? Sarana Shri Lakshmichand1852 - 1853 Guman Singh Baid (1st time)1853 - 1853 Leeladhar Mohta + Jalam Chand Kochar1853 - 1854 Lachhi Ram Rakhecha1854 - 1856 Guman Singh Baid (2nd time)1856 Pandit Dojainant1856 - 1863 Ram Lal Dwarkani (1st time)1864 - 1865 Guman Singh Baid (3rd time)1865 - 1866 Ram Lal Dwarkani (2nd time)1866 Man Mal Rakhecha1866 (3 months) Sheo Lal Nahata1867 (15 days) Fateh Chand Surana1867 Ganga Ram Purohit1867 Shah Mal Kochar1868 Man Mal Rakhecha1868 Sheo Lal Mohta1868 Lakshmi Chand NahataJun 1868 - Aug 1869 Visayat HussainAug 1869 - 13 Dec 1873 Pandit ManphoolDec 1873 - 188. Maharaj Lal Singh188. - 1884? Maharao Hira Singh Baid1884 - 11 Oct 1888 Amin Muhammad12 Dec 1888 - 1896 Sodhi Hukam Singh1896 - 1898 Raghubar Singh Chauhan1898 - 1903 Hamidu Zafar Khan1903 - 1916 -Post abolished-1916 - 19.. Shri Bhairon Singh7 Sep 1920 - Jan 1925 Prince Kunwar Sardul Singh (s.a.)The post of Dewan was reinstated in 1927.
1927 - 1934 Manubhai Nandshankar Mehta (b. 1868 - d. 1946)3 Oct 1932 – 31 Oct 1934 Ram Prasad Dube (acting)1 Nov 1934 - Jan 1936 Maharaj Shri Bhairun SinghJan 1936 - Dec 1936 Thakur Sadul SinghDec 1936 - 1938? V.N. MehtaDec 1938 - Jul 1939 Kailash Narain Haksar (b. 1878 - d. 1954)Jul 1939 - 1944? Sire Mal Bapna (b. 1882 - d. 1964)1944 - 13 Mar 1948 Kavalam Madhava Panikkar (b. 1895 - d. 1963)14 Mar 1948 - Oct 1948 Kanwar Jaswant SinghOct 1948 - 30 Mar 1949 Cadambi Sheshachar Venkatachar (b. 1899 - d. 1999)
