MOHINDER SIṄGH, MAHĀRĀJĀ (1852-1876), was born at Paṭiālā on 16 September 1852, the son of Mahārājā Narinder Siṅgh. He ascended the Paṭiālā throne on 29 January 1862 at the age of ten. The young Mahārājā was fairly well educated and enlightened. He received good all-round education and was the first one in the line to learn English. He sponsored several works of public utility. A project he helped with a handsome contribution of 1,15,00,000 rupees was the construction of the Sirhind canal. The canal which was opened in 1882 irrigated large areas of Paṭiālā, Nābhā and Jīnd as well as those of Ludhiāṇā and Fīrozpur districts in the British territory. Mahārājā Mohinder Siṅgh made a donation of seventy thousand rupees to the University College at Lahore, paid a lakh of rupees for the relief of the famine-stricken people of Bengal, and founded in 1875 the Mohindrā College at Patiālā for the promotion of higher education in the state. This college, the oldest in the north-western region of India and initially affiliated to Calcutta University, imparted education without charging any fees right up to the postgraduate stage and attracted students from distant parts of the country.

         Mahārājā Mohinder Siṅgh died at Paṭiālā on 12 April 1876.