RAJYASHREE KUMARI BIKANER, born on June 4th Bombay, is the daughter of Dr. Karni Singhji, Maharaja of Bikaner. Educated at the Convent of Jesus & Mary, New Delhi followed by Lady Sri Ram College for Women, New Delhi.

Her great-grandfather Maharaja Ganga Singhji was a great reformer, builder and an international figure of his time. Her grandfather, Maharaja Sadul Singhji, was the first prince to accede his state into the Indian Union at the time of Independence, thereby providing the important historic lead for others to follow suit, which led to the creation of a united India.

Her father Maharaja Dr. Karni Singhji of Bikaner, served as an independent Member of Parliament from 1952-1977 for an uninterrupted period of 25 years in the Lok Sabha- the elected House of the People. He represented India in five Olympics, Five World Shooting Championships, and numerous other international clay Pigeon Shooting Championship. In the Cairo World Shooting Championship in 1962 he tied for the Gold Medal in the Clay Pigeon Traps event. He was awarded the “ARJUNA AWARD” in 1961, the first award in shooting.

Following the Bikaner family tradition of shooting, Rajyashree Kumari was trained in this sport by her father at a very young age. She holds the unique distinction of winning her first shooting competition at age seven, in the junior National Air Rifle Championship in 1961. Participated in the 1st Asian Shooting Championship in Air Rifle Competition at Tokyo, Japan in 1967 (where she was the only woman shooter participating) World Shooting Championship in San Sebastain, Spain in 1969, ranked 8th in the world and IInd Asian Shooting Championship in Seoul, South Korea in 1971 and won team Bronze Medal.

She was named Sportperson of the year in 1969 in India; she was awarded the prestigious Arjuna Award in 1969 at the age of sixteen. Both father and daughter winning this award in same event is a unique achievement.

She is the Chairperson and Trustee of various Public Charitable Trusts set up by her father, late Maharaja Dr. Karni Singhji of Bikaner. She founded a public charitable trust in 1999, Maharaja Dr. Karni Singhji Memorial Foundation in her father’s memory. The Trusts are charged with distributing funds across a wide range of activities such as medical, sports, economical weaker persons, education, animal welfare and preservation of “literature, art and culture.

She is life member of the NRAI (National Rifle Association of India) INTACH (Indian National Trust for art and Cultural Heritage); she is a passionate animal lover and is member of PETA, India (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and is a Patron Member of prestigious Mayo Collage, Ajmer, Rajasthan, the first lady Patron.

She is keen admirer of art and architecture and is actively involved is preservation and restoration of ancestral forts, palaces, cenotaphs, paintings, photographs and historical documents in Bikaner.

She has authored three books - The Lallgarh Palace: Home of the Maharajas of Bikaner - 2009 and Maharajas of Bikaner – 2012 and Palace of Clouds – A Memoir in 2018.

Rajyashree Kumari has one daughter, Anupama Kumari, and a son, Dr.Sajjansinh Gohel.