Rajyashree Kumari

A woman of immense talents, Rajyashree Kumari is one of the famous people of Bikaner. Born to the royal family of Bikaner, princess Rajyashree Kumari is an excellent shooter and has the distinction of winning the highest award for Indian sportsmen and sportswomen - Arjuna. She won the Arjuna Award in 1969 when she was just 16 years old.

Daughter of Maharaja Dr. Karni Singh and Maharani Sushila Kumari, Rajyashree showed her shooting prowess from a very early age. She won the gold medal in the National Air Rifle Championships, in the under-twelve category, at the age of seven only. More success followed and she created a new Indian record in 1967. She represented India at the age of fourteen in Japan as the junior most woman competitor of the event.

At fifteen, princess Rajyashree achieved a stupendous success in the 13th National Shooting Championship. Her specialty was in the Clay Pigeon Trap event. She was the captain of the Bikaner Thunderbolts Rifle Club. In 1970, she created a record at the National Shooting Championship, which is still untouched.

Beside shooting, Rajyashree has other interests also. She is a member of INTACH - Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage. An avid wild life lover, she works for the preservation of wild life. She also took active participation in the foundation of the Sadaul Museum in Bikaner.



Last Updated on 19 December 2011