| Thakur Kesri Singh Mundiyar | |
| Birth Date: | 1 June 1927 |
| Constituency: | Pali |
| Office: | Member of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly |
| Term Start: | 1962 |
| Term End: | 1967 |
| Predecessor: | Mool Chand |
| Successor: | M Chand |
| Party: | Swatantra Party |
| Residence: | Roopawas, Pali |
| Otherparty: | Bhartiya Janata Party |
| Country: | India |
| Parents: | Thakur Devi Singh Akhawat |
| Children: | Priyavrat Singh |
| Relations: | Ramnathji Ratnu (maternal grandfather) |
| Alma Mater: | Mayo College |
| Office1: | General Secretary of the Swatantra Party |
| Predecessor1: | Office established |
| Office2: | Vice President of Bharatiya Janata Party |
| 5Blankname2: | Works |
| 5Namedata2: | Works |
Kesri Singh Mundiyar (born 1 June 1927), also known as Kesri Singh Roopawas, was an Indian author and politician. He was associated with Swatantra Party and later Bharatiya Janata Party. He represented Pali in Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha from 1962 to 1967. He was a reputed scholar of Dingal, Rajasthani, and English and known for his poetry and translation work.
Kesri Singh was born on 1 June 1927, to Thakur Devi Singh Akhawat, thakur of Mundiyar and Roopawas.[1] His maternal grandfather was Ramnathji Ratnu, a noted historian and administrator who had served as the Dewan (Prime Minister) of Idar and Kishangarh States.[2] His has two sons named Thakur Priyavrat Singh and Siddharth singh [3]
Singh completed his education at Mayo College, Ajmer. He graduated in 1946.[4] [5]
Singh was an avid mountaineer and hunter, he enjoyed hiking in the Himalayas and observing wildlife. Later, he resided in the village of Roopawas, he spent time reading books on history, philosophy, travel, and Rajasthani literature and translating Dingal works, the literary language of Rajasthan.[6]
Kesri Singh became actively involved in politics and later joined Swatantra Party, which attracted princes and jagirdars ideologically opposed to Congress.[7] He was elected as the head (Pradhan) of the Panchayat Samiti Pali for two terms. He fought 1962 assembly elections from Pali constituency and became a member of the Third Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan from 1962 to 1967.
| Notable Works: | The Hero of Haldighati (1976) An Anthology of Rajasthani Poetry (1999) |
Kesri Singh was the first General Secretary of the Swatantra Party. He was a member its First Parliamentary Board till at which he continued till 1964. He was also among the Executive Members and State Working Committee of the party occupying key positions.[8]
After the decline of Swatantra Party, Kesri Singh joined Bhartiya Janata Party and served as the Vice President of its Rajasthan state unit.
Kesri Singh authored several works including English translations of Dingal verses. He was acknowledged as an authority on medieval Rajasthani poetry.[9]
In this work, Kesri Singh has given English translations of historic Dingal poems and verses. This anthology has selections from Dingal poets ranging from medieval to the present times.[10]
Kesri Singh's The Hero of Haldighati provides a detailed critical reconstruction and critique of the battle of Haldighati, including translations of Dingal poetry about Rana Pratap.[11] It a scholarly work that brings forth details on the locale, the protagonists and events of the battle.[12] It includes his essay titled 'The Story of the Battle Of Haldighati' which he authored on the 400th anniversary of the Battle of HaIdi Ghati in 1976. His description of the battle is based on a combination of eye-witness accounts and the works of renowned historians, and is shaped by his own intellectual inferences.