Information
| Dynasty | Parmar |
|---|---|
| Clan | Sodha |
| Seat | Rana Jagir |
| State | Pakistan (Sindh Prov.) |
| Area | 48.6 km² |
| Population | ~12,000 |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Hindi Name | अमरकोट |
| Urdu Name | عُمَركوٹ |
| Also known as | Umerkot, Umarkot |
| Last Updated | 30th Dec, 2023 |
Present Ruler/Head
Rana HAMIR SINGH, 26th and present Rana Saheb of Amarkot since 2009 (Rana Jagir, Pakistan), born March 1957, Minister for Agriculture in the Sindh Government, married Rani Nalini Prabha Kanwar, daughter of Rao Gansham Singh of Tantoti, and his wife, Rani Partap Kanwar, and has issue, one son and three daughters.
- Kumari Deval Sodha, married 10th February 2004, Bhanwar Rudra Pratap Singh, son of Kanwar Gajendra Singh of Auwa, and his wife, Kanwarani Vishalakshi Devi, and has issue, one son.
- Kumari Aprajita Sodha [Yuvrani Aprajita Devi of Awagarh], married April 2004, Yuvraj Ambrish Pal Singh, son of Raja Anirudh Pal Singh of Awagarh.
- Maharaj Kumarani Mahalaxmi Sodha, married February 2008, Maharaj Kumar Jayendra Pratap Singh, son and heir of Maharaja Bahadur Dharmendra Prasad Singh of Balrampur, and his wife, Maharani Vandana Rajya Lakshmi.
- Kunwar Karni Singh Sodha, married on 20th February 2015 to Baijilal Padmini Singh, daughter of Thakur Man Singh Rathore of thikana Kanota and has issue, one son.
- Bhanwar Vishwaraj Singh Sodha, born 1st April 2017.
Short History
‘Sodha’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Sodh,’ which means ‘Brave and Powerful.’
Amarkot, also known as Rana Jagir, is famous for the legendary story of the protection and assistance extended by the Amarkot Ranas to the Mughal Emperor Humayun as he was escaping the Afghan usurper Sher Shah Suri. It is also the birthplace of Jalal-ud-Din Muhammad Akbar, the third Mughal Emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605.
Amarkot was ceded by the mother of Mian Abdul Nabi Khan Kalhoro, the Nawab of Sindh, to Maharaja Vijay Singh of Jodhpur in exchange for his support against the Talpurs. However, in 1818, Chattar Singh, the only son of Maharaja Man Singh of Jodhpur, concluded a treaty with the British in January 1818 after the outbreak of the Pindari War. According to this treaty, Jodhpur came under British protection and was required to pay an annual tribute of 1,08,000. This tribute amount was later reduced to 98,000 in 1847 during the reign of Maharaja Takht Singh of Jodhpur, in consideration of the cession of the fort and the district of Amarkot to the British.
Rana Mehraj Singh fought against the British, was defeated, captured, and imprisoned. Later, in 1860, he and his tribe Thakurs were granted jagirs and political pensions.
Rana Chander Singh was one of the founding members of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan from Umarkot seven times with PPP between 1977 and 1999. He founded the Pakistan Hindu Party (PHP) in 1990. Before the vote of no confidence was moved against Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, he was asked to swear his allegiance by Geeta, to which he said, “There is no need for the Holy Gita to take an oath on it; the word of a Rajput is enough.” After the vote of no confidence roared on the floor of the National Assembly, he stated, “With regret, I would say that some honorable members of Parliament who are present in this very august house let down on their sacred books. I know they are the very religiously respected people of their parties and known to be very pious persons.”
Predecessors
- Raja Dharnivrah, Raja of Nokoti in Marwar
- Rana Sodha, Rana of Ratakot, he moved to Amarkot and captured Ratakot, married and had issue, the Sodha clan of the Parmar Dynasty,
- Rana Raisi, Rana of Ratakot,
- Rana Chachakdev, Rana of Amarkot and Ratakot, in 1155 he captured Amarkot from the Umra Parmar Rajputs, a clan of the Parmar Dynasty
- Rana Jaibhram, Rana of Amarkot
- Rana Jasahad, Rana of Amarkot
- Rana Someshwar, Rana of Amarkot
- Rana Dharavarsh, Rana of Amarkot, married and had issue.
- Rana Durjanshal [aka Dalji] (qv)
- Rana Aasrao (see Parkar)
- Rana Durjanshal, Rana of Amarkot, married and had issue.
- Rana Avtarde (qv)
- Rani Natalde, married to Rao Ramdevji, son of Raja Ajmalji of Pokhran (see Ramdevra)
- Rana Avtarde, Rana of Amarkot
- Rana Thira, Rana of Amarkot
- Rana Hamir I, Rana of Amarkot
- Rana Beesa, Rana of Amarkot
- Rana Tejsi, Rana of Amarkot
- Rana Kumpa, Rana of Amarkot
- Rana Champa, Rana of Amarkot
- Rana Ganga, Rana of Amarkot
- Rana PARSHAD SINGH [aka Patta], Rana of Amarkot -/1540, he was a contemporary of the Mughal Emperor Humayum (1530/1556)
- Rana CHANDRASEN, Rana of Amarkot
- Rana BHOJRAJ, Rana of Amarkot
- Rana ISHWARDAS, Rana of Amarkot (1708)
- Rana BAHABUT SINGH, Rana of Amarkot, ancestor of the later Rana Sahebs of Amarkot.
- Rana MEHRAJ SINGH, 23rd Rana of Amarkot; married and had issue.
- Rana Arjun Singh (qv)
- Rana ARJUN SINGH, 24th Rana of Amarkot -/1947, married Rani Dev Kumari, daughter of Thakur Bheru Singhji of Khatipura and had issues. He died January 1947.
- Rana Chander Singh (see above)
- Thakur Saheb Inder Singhji, born 1934.
- Thakur Saheb Balbeer Singhji, born 1938, married Rani Indira Kumari, youngest daughter of Rawat Jai Singhji, 3rd Rawat Saheb of Meja.
- Rana CHANDER SINGH, 25th Rana of Amarkot 1947/2009, born 1931 in Rana Jagir, Tharparkar District, 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 the PPP between 1977 and 1999; he served as Minister for Agriculture and Revenue, and was Chairman of the National Commission of Minorities; married Rani Subhadra Kumari, daughter of Rawat Tej Singhji of Rawatsar in Bikaner, and his wife, Rani Lakshmi Kumariji, and had issue, four sons and one daughter. He died 1st August 2009 in Karachi and was cremated at Rana Jagir.
- Kunwar Jungvijay Singh, born 5th February 1956.
- Kunwar Hamir Singh, succededed as Rana Hamir Singh (qv)
- Kunwar Bhopal Singh, born 7th October 1959. (U.S.A.)
- Kunwar Dr. Pritipal Singh Sodha, presently employed with the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi; married Kunwarani Ronilla Singh Ranawat, Administrative Coordinator of the Foundation Public School, daughter of Col. Thakur Ran Vijay Singh Ranawat of Kankarwa, and has issue, two sons.
- Bhanwar Shivdan Singh Sodha
- Bhanwar Bhawani Singh Sodha
- Rajkumari Sangeeta Kumari, married to Thakur Narpat Singh Ranawat of Shahpura in Jaipur, and has issue, two children.
- Kunwar Shatrunjay Pratap Singh, Conservationist working for the survival of tigers in India.
- Kunwar Aditya Singh
- Rana HAMIR SINGH, 26th Rana of Amarkot (see above)
Other Members
- Thakur Aidan Singh, born about 1893 in Rana Jagir, married and had issue.
- Kunwar Jagat Singh
- Thakur Bher Singh, married and had issue.
- HH Maharani Sahib Hawa Kanwar, married 1927 (as his second wife), HH Maharajadhiraj Maharawal Girdhar Singhji of Jaisalmer, and had issue. She died 1991.
- Kunwar Rajvir Singh, nephew of Rana Chander Singh, married Kanwarani Uma Kanwar, daughter of Rawat Sawai Hari Singhji II of Begun, and his first wife, Rani Kanchan Kunwar.
- Kunwarani Sarita Kumari, married Kunwar Himmat Singh, son of Thakur Sajjan Singhji of Ghanerao.
- HH Maharani Sahib Jadau [Het] Kanwar of Amarkot(?Umarkot), married (as his second wife), HH Maharajadhiraj Maharawal Sir Jawahir Singhji Bahadur of Jaisalmer.
- Kaurani Prakash Kanwar Sodha ji, married Maharaj Chanderveer Singhji of Ratlam.
- Thakur Verishal Singhji, married and had issue.
- Rani Nain Kanwar Sodisa, married Capt. Maharaj Mohan Singhji of Raoti, and has issue.