Bihar

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Maharajadhiraja Kameshwar Singh Kalyani Foundation - The foundation houses a collection of more than 10,000 books published since 1700, a number of Sanskrit manuscripts, more than 100 paintings including acquatints of Daniel, Hodges, etc, 15,000 photographs since 1860s, 15 films (16 mm) shot between 1931 and 1948 covering the visits of several Viceroys (Lord Willingdon, Lord Linlithgow, Lord Wavell and Lord Mountbaten), Governors (Lord Sifton, Sor Thomas Rutherford, Lord Stewart)and other dignitaries (erstwhile Maharajas of Jaipur, Coochbehar, Gwalior, Jodhpur, estates from Bengal, etc.,)of the country and state and various social functions and sports (polo and Football matches). Darbhanga was the biggest and richest Zamindari in India, spread over 2500 sq.miles consisting of more than 7000 villages, 15000 official to look after the zamindari and several industrial units (Cotton, sugar, jute, aviation, automobile dealership, share trading, media, iron & steel, dairies, cold storages, paper, etc.). The Maharajas of Darbhanga were not known world wide for their benevolence but also for their courage to speak out against the government inside the Council of States if anything was considered wrong by them. The last Maharaja, late Sir Kameshwar Singh had friends amongst the leading ruling houses of Europe such as U.K., France, Spain, Austria, Russia, etc. He had donated huge amount of money and land houses to organizations such as YMCA, YWCA (in Cairo, Egypt and Calcutta, India), Queen's Fund, Canadian Nurses Association, RAF, etc. In India hundreds of educational institutions such as Banaras Hindu University, Aligarh Muslim University, Allahabad University, Patna University, etc. received millions of rupees and lands and houses from him. He donated even his personal residence at Darbhanga (Anandbagh Palace) to the Sanskrit University in Darbhanga. After his death in 1962 the government took over all the remaining movable and immovable assets of the House. His widow, Maharani Kamasundari is still alive (old and poor health) and has created this Foundation in the memory of her late husband to spread knowledge and work for the benefit of the poors.