Jammu, Sep 15 (IANS): The Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to declare Maharaja Hari Singh's birth anniversary on September 23 as a public holiday. A notification in this regard will be issued soon, an official statement said on Thursday.

The announcement was made by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha following his meeting with a delegation comprising prominent political leaders, members of the Yuva Rajput Sabha, civil society members, head of the J&K transport union, among others, at the Raj Bhavan on Thursday.

"The government has taken a decision to declare Maharaja Hari Singh Ji's birthday as a public holiday. Maharaja Hari Singh was a great educationist, progressive thinker, social reformer and a towering man of ideas and ideals. The public holiday will be a fitting tribute to Maharaja Hari Singh Ji's rich legacy," Sinha said.

Pertinently, on the direction of the L-G, a four-member committee was constituted by the UT administration earlier this year to examine the public demand regarding declaring Maharaja Hari Singh's birth anniversary as public holiday.

Hari Singh (1895-1961) was the last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.