God blesses some souls by sending them to the Earth but when the great souls take birth, the mother Earth herself is blessed. Such a great soul was our Raja Yuveraj Dutta Singh Ji. His life becomes an example of devotion in education and social service. His name becomes a synonym of progress and advancement. Although he left this mortal world on 22nd April 1984 yet he is alive in the memories of the people still today. Mortality could not touch him as immortality had owned him.Such a great personality Raja Saheb was born on 31st July 1907. It was the prestigious dynasty of Hardev Shah Ji, Chahman of Neemrana. From Maternal side, Raja Yuveraj Dutta Singh was related to the Prime Minister of Nepal, his highness Raja Jung Bahadur. His maternal grand father was General Padm Bahadur Rana, famous as one of the best army generals of Nepal. Raja Anirudh Singh, the great grand father of Raja Yuveraj Dutta Singh was awarded with the title of Raja by the Nawab of Awadh Nawab Vazid Ali Shah. He did his best efforts to enrich and enlarge the estates of Oel and Kaimahara. Pleased by the efforts and works done by him, in 1877, the British Government had confirmed the title of Raja as dynastic and sealed on his Royal consideration.
Raja Krishna Dutta Singh Ji, the grand father of Raja Yuveraj Dutta Singh was a brave and accomplished ruler. His tales of chivalry and dexterousness can be heard even today also. He was kind and therefore much popular among the people. There were 164 villages under the estate of Oel at that time. Every thing was going well but unfortunately, Kunwar Ram Dutta Singh Ji, the son of Raja Krishna Dutta Singh Ji left this world in the year 1906. This sudden demise was a big shock to the whole family. Who can stop the cruel hands of death? There after, in the year 1932, the death usurped our loving king Raja Krishna Dutta Singh Ji also from us. Now his grandson raja Yuveraj Dutta Singh, the son of Kunwar Ram Dutta Singh Ji was enthroned at the age of 25. Raja Yuveraj Dutta Singh not only followed his grand father’s paths but did the best efforts to make the estate more prosperous. He was very humble and kind therefore, soon became very popular among the people of the estates.
Raja Yuveraj Dutta Singh Ji was well educated and learned. He studied in the prestigious Mayo College of Jaipur. During his student-life, he was famous as a talented student and a good sports man. He was expert in rifle-shooting and he not only maintained it but sharpened this skill throughout his life. He dedicated himself to the field of education and established almost 7 primary and three girls’ colleges in his estates first. After that he opened 2 Inter colleges also. His efforts were flourishing well but he did not stop. In the year 1949, he established a Post Graduate College in the neighbouring city Lakhimpur. It proved as a boon for the students of far and distant areas. It was the biggest college between the districts Bareilly and Lucknow. He spent the biggest part of his income in establishing and maintaining this Post Graduate College but never thought to set back. Once, the secretary of this college, Jhummak Lal ICS had said it ‘a white elephant’ and advised Raja Saheb to stop it otherwise it is a great economic loss to the estate but the answer of Raja Saheb was that ‘he did not care whether the estate remains or not but the college will continue.
This Yuveraj Dutta Post Graduate College is the flambeau of knowledge in the whole ‘Tarai Region’. Millions of girls and boys have been getting the education here since then. The people of the area are highly obliged to Raja Saheb for this precious gift. Really Raja Saheb like the sun removed the darkness of ignorance and expanded the light of knowledge. This college has the faculties’ Arts, Science and Commerce all. Inspite of it B.Ed. classes are also run here successfully. The sports activities are organized here at a large scale. This college has secured an eminent place among the other colleges of C.S.J.M. University Kanpur. It is renowned and well acquainted for its dignified performances.
Each and every student of this area is indebted to Raja Saheb. While studying, he vows to pay his debt to the great soul, by succeeding and making his future bright. Of course, this is a true homage to him. As Raja Saheb was the pioneer in the field of education, he was also the champion in sports. He was expert in rifle-shooting and he was also the lover of various games and sports like- Hockey, Football, Tennis and cricket etc. he used to organise various matches of state and national level also. He started the ‘Rani Chandra Bhanu Kunwari Sahiba Football Tournament’ and Kunwar Gopal Narayan Dutta Singh Hockey Tournament’ at state level. Inspite of it he used to donate the money for these sports to other colleges and organisations also.
Raja Saheb was a great philotherian. Although in the early years of his life he was a lover of shooting. Specially he took delight in shooting tigers and in his life he shot almost 13-14 tigers. He used the weapon ‘Holland and Halland 375 Bore, double barral Rifle ‘Magnum’. Slowly, with the passage of time, he was diverted from this hobby and became a great lover of animals. He contributed much in the establishment of ‘Dudhwa National Park’ in the district Lakhimpur-Kheri. This park is famous for having the highest number of swamp deers, in all the parks of the world. He favoured and passed the rule to stop shooting during his regime. The forefathers of Raja Yuveraj Dutta Singh were the lovers of architecture. Raja Anirudh Singh, his great grand father built a unique temple ‘Medhak Mandir’ at Oel, at a distance of 120 km. from state capital Lucknow. It is worth seeing. This is the oracle of Lord Shiva, built on the pattern of Rajasthani architecture of 16th century. This temple of 150 feet height is built on the ‘Tantra Technique’. It stands on a big foundation of the back of a big frog whose mouth is visible from the front and the four other smaller temples are built in the four corners on the legs of the frog. The high walls of the temple are inscribed and studded with hundreds of sculptures of men and women in various forms and positions. The smaller temples also have mythical features built on its walls. The main temple was built by Raja Krishna Dutta Singh Ji and Raja Yuveraj Dutta Singh built the four houses with several rooms for the guests and saints around the temple. Raja Saheb had built the houses (Kothies) in various cities in Lakhimpur, Lucknow, Nainital etc. (excluding the Kothies of Oel and Kaimahara Estate).
His works for the economic betterment of the people were praise-worthy. He granted remission of the loans for the poor and lessenes the taxes. He stimulated the trade and Agriculture
His contribution in the field of health is also adorable. First time, he started the mobile hospitals by which the doctors reached the villagers themselves, observed, examined and treated them. The people of the estate regarded and loved their Raja very much. Consequently, from the year 1937 to 1947 he was elected as the member of state council and from the year 1962-1967, he remained the member of ‘Lok Sabha’. He was made the director of ‘The Pioneer Daily’ he was also a life-time member of cricket club of India. Including B.H.U. and Lucknow University, he donated and helped in the development of about forty institutions of the country. His dedication and devotion in all the fields of social religious and educational services are manifold. Nobody can forget him. Particularly in the state U.P. he worked like an angel in the field of education. This district is always grateful to him. Although he is not among us today but in divine form, he is still alive in the loving hearts of his people. Certainly, he might be showering his blessings continuously on us because
“There’s just too much
That Time can not erase”