Nationality Pakistani Role Pakistani Politician Children 4 sons, 1 daughter Died 2009, Karachi, Pakistan | Religion Hinduism Resigned 1999 Name Rana Singh | |
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Occupation Politician, agriculturalist Known for Founder of Pakistan Hindu Party | ||
Rana Chandra Singh, (1931–2009), also known as "Rana Chander Singh", was a Pakistani politician, a federal minister and the chieftain of the Sodha Thakur Rajput clan and the Amarkot (present day Umerkot) jagir. He was one of the founder members of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan from Umerkot, seven times with PPP between 1977 and 1999, when he founded the Pakistan Hindu Party (PHP).
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Early life
Rana Chandra Singh was born in 1931 in Rana Jagir, 16 km from Umarkot, present day Umerkot District. He belonged to the Sodha Rajput clan, and was the Rana (chieftain) of the Amarkot (Umerkot) jagir, a Rajput estate in Pakistan, and Pakistani Hindu Sodha Thakur Rajput.
Career
He was a close friend of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto, and was a founding member of Pakistan Peoples Party. He was also elected as MPA a number of seven times, serving as Minister of Science and Technology, Revenue and Narcotics Affairs. In 1990 he left PPP and formed his own political party, the Pakistan Hindu Party (PHP). He himself designed for his party a saffron flag bearing two ancient logos – Om and Trishool. He served as Minister for Agriculture and Revenue, and was the Chairman of National Commission of Minorities. He won elections as an Independent candidate for a continuous 53 years – a considerable achievement for a minority Hindu. His constituency and erstwhile kingdom was once 80% Hindu and now its Hindu population is less than 50%. He recently joined PPP after parting way with PML-Q.
He died on 1 August 2009 at the age of 78, after a prolonged illness, as he suffered paralysis in 2004. Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, in a message to his family, expressed grief over the death of former federal minister, while the President described him as "one of the fearless political activists who joined the party in the early days of its formation by Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and who stood by him through thick and thin". His body was taken to his native village Rana Jagir, 16 km from Umarkot for cremation, where earlier, his elder son Kanwar Hameer Singh was installed as his successor, the 26th Rana of Tharparkar's Thakurs.
Personal life
His wife is Rani Sahiba Subhdra, daughter of Rawat Tej Singh of Rawatsar in Hanumangarh district, Rajasthan and they had four sons and one daughter.
His eldest son is Hamir Singh who also is actively involved in politics. His other son Bhopal Singh is married and living in USA. His son Dr. Pritipal Singh works at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. His daughter Sangeeta is married in Jaipur. Her wedding took place in India due to the Rajput custom of not marrying in the same clan. Ronialla Singh, his daughter-in-law, is Administrative Coordinator of Foundation Public School.
His family owned the famous Umarkot Fort where the great Mughal Emperor, Akbar was born in Umerkot, when his father Humayun fled from military defeat at the hands of Sher Shah Suri. Rana Prasad, a Hindu Sodha Rajput ruler of Amarkot, gave refuge to Humayun.