Maharaja Champuti Singh: The playboy king, who became a pauper, dies in his mud hut

Brajraj Kshatriya Birbar Champuti Singh Mohapatra  Pic courtesy Daily Telegraph

December 6, 2015, NewsCrunch

With the passing away of the former Maharaja of Tigiria, Orissa, in abject poverty, history has turned a page.

Brajraj Kshatriya Birbar Champuti Singh Mohapatra was the last surviving royal, who signed the Instrument of Accession to merge his kingdom with the newly independent India.

Champuti Singh, 97, died in his mud hut in Tigiria, 87 kms from Bhubaneshwar. After losing his wealth, the Maharaja survived on the hospitality of his villagers, whose affection he continued to  command.

In his heyday, Chamupati Singh was a playboy prince who led an envious life in India’s royal party circuit.

He had a fleet of 25 vintage luxury cars and lived in a palace. He married a princess and was famous as a hunter-prince, who had shot 13 tigers and 28 leopards.
After independence,  Champuti Singh was granted a purse of Rs 11,200, which was taken away  in 1975. His fortune dwindled after that and he was forced to sell his palace.
He separated from his wife, Rasmanajari Devi, a former MLA and three sons, in 1987 and has been living away from them.
Among the 26 princely states of Odisha, Tigiria was the smallest with an area of 119 sq km. His ancestors came from Rajasthan and set up their kingdom in 1245 AD.

Chamupati Singh eldest son  Bikram Pratap, 70, has been coronated as the next king of Tigiria.