Q. With reference to Maharaja Dalip Singh (The Last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire), consider the following statements:
1.He ascended the throne in his minority after the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, necessitating the regency of his mother, Maharani Jind Kaur.
2.After the annexation of Punjab, he was exiled to England, where he eventually converted to Christianity and subsequently surrendered the famed Koh-i-Noor diamond to the British Crown.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer: C
Notes:
Explanation:
- Statement 1: Incorrect. Dalip Singh ascended the throne not after Ranjit Singh (who died in 1839), but after the deaths of his half-brothers, following the chaotic succession struggle that characterized the 1840s. He was the son of Ranjit Singh and Maharani Jind Kaur, who served as his Regent.
- Statement 2: Correct. Following the Second Anglo-Sikh War and the annexation of Punjab in 1849, the Treaty of Lahore stipulated that Dalip Singh must surrender the Koh-i-Noor to the Queen of England. He was subsequently exiled and converted to Christianity.
