Sir Udai Bhan Singh GCIE KCSI KCVO (Hindi: उदयभान सिंह; 12 February 1893 – 22 October 1954) was the Maharaj-Rana of Dholpur from 1911 until his death in 1954.

Udai Bhan was born on 12 February 1893.^[1][2] He received his education at Mayo College, Ajmer, where he successfully passed the Diploma examination and earned numerous prizes.^[2] He secured a prize for an essay on irrigation and a certificate from the Ambulance Society for First Aid to the Wounded.^[3] He took a short course of training at the Imperial Cadet Corps at Dehradun.^[4][3][5][6]

In June 1911, he married Malvender Kaur, the daughter of Sardar Shamsher Singh of Badrukhan in Jind State.^{[7][8][9][1][6][10][2][11]} He had an issue from this marriage, a daughter named Urmila Devi, who, in 1943, married Pratap Singh, the Maharaja of Nabha State.^[12][13]

As he had no male heir of his own, following his demise, his widow adopted their daughter's son, Hemant Singh, who succeeded him.^{[14][15][8][16]}

He succeeded his elder brother, Ram Singh, as the Maharaj-Rana of Dholpur, following his death on 29 March 1911.^{[4][17][12][1][18][5][19]} The administration of the state was entrusted to G.H. Anderson, who acted as the Superintendent of the State and Guardian to the Maharaj-Rana.^{[4][3][20][21][9]} He was assisted by selected officials under the general direction of the Political Agent. From 1911 to 1913, Anderson presided over State Council meetings and directed the administration.^[21][9] He paid a short visit to Europe, from where he returned in September 1912.^[9] He was invested with full ruling powers on the 9 October 1913.^[9][1] His state, Dholpur, enjoyed a permanent salute of 15 guns.^[3][22][23] However, on 1 January 1921, he was granted a salute of 17 guns as a personal distinction.^{[7][9][24][25]} He was a delegate to the Second Round Table Conference in London in 1931 and stayed at the May Fair Hotel.^{[26][27][28][29][30]}

On 14 August 1947, he signed the Instrument of Accession and Standstill Agreement, through which he acceded his state to India. Louis Mountbatten, in his capacity as Governor-General of India, accordingly accepted it on 16 August 1947.^[31]

He was installed in 1916 as Master of the Holland Lodge No. 3554, Bharatpur, Mumbai, which was consecrated on 6 January 1912 and closed in 1927, of which he was elected Master before.^[32][33]

When the United States of Matsya (Matsya Union) was formed on 18 March 1948 following the merger of Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur, and Karauli, he was appointed as its Rajpramukh, a position he held from 18 March 1948 until 15 May 1949 when it was merged with Greater Rajasthan to form the United State of Rajasthan.^{[34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43]}

During the years 1931-1932 and 1942–43, he held the office of President of the General Council of Mayo College, Ajmer.^[44][45][46] In 1940-41, he served as Vice-President, and in 1928, he was a member.^[47][48]

He served as the Pro-Chancellor of the Chamber of Princes.^[49][50]

On 20 November 1919, during a hunting event where 4,206 birds were killed by 50 guns, 401 of these fell to his gun.^[51][52] On 8 December 1921, during Edward VIII's tour of India, a duck shoot was organized at a reserve in Bharatpur.^[51][52] During this event, the Maharaj-Rana managed to shoot down 210 ducks, the highest individual bag.^[52]

According to Conrad Corfield, he was the finest game shot in India.^[53] However, he developed such a profound love for wildlife that he renounced the use of firearms altogether.^[53][54] He had the area around Kaiserbagh Palace in Dholpur made into a sanctuary and implemented numerous improvements in the existing Ram Sagar and Satakarai Sanctuaries.^[55][53] These improvements included constructing walls, establishing good roads, and blocking nullahs, among other enhancements.^[55][53]

He was appointed as an Major in the Army on 1 January 1921.^[7][9] Later, on 24 October 1921, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.^[7][9]

He died on 22 October 1954 and was succeeded by his adopted grandson Hemant Singh.^[15][8]