The history of the Dungarpur royal family features certain personalities who, despite not holding high formal office, exerted an extraordinary influence on the royal household and the political landscape of the time. Bhatt Kanti nath ji Sharma was one such exceptional figure. Members of the royal family affectionately and respectfully addressed him as ‘Master Sahab’. Kanti nath ji Sharma was born into a family of learned Brahmins. His father, Pandit Lakshmi nath ji Bhatt, shared a close bond with the Dungarpur royal family. Kanti nath ji Sharma received his education at Banaras Hindu University (BHU). There, he had the opportunity to come into contact with Mahamana Madan Mohan ji Malaviya and also had the privilege of being in the presence of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi ji , during a convocation ceremony. He possessed an exceptional command over Hindi, English, and Sanskrit, and was a profound scholar of the Vedas and Shastras. After completing his education From Varansi , he became a government teacher at the Maharawal High School in Dungarpur. Impressed by his talent and scholarship, the then ruler of Dungarpur State, Maharawal Lakshman Singh ji , entrusted him with the responsibility of educating the state's future heir—his eldest son, Maharawal Mahipal Singh ji. This responsibility was so significant that Kanti nath ji Sharma resigned from his government job and dedicated his life to the service of the royal family. His association was not limited to the then Maharaj Kunwar Mahipal Singh ji alone; he served as a teacher and mentor to all three of Maharawal Lakshman Singh’s ji sons—Mahipal Singh ji , Jaysingh ji , and Rajsingh Dungarpur—as well as the princesses. Raj singh ji Dungarpur later became a highly distinguished name in Indian cricket. Members of the royal family, including Raj singh ji , affectionately called him ‘Master Sahab’. Kanti nath ji Sharma’s role did not end there. Once Mahipal Singh’s ji education was complete, Maharawal Lakshman Singh ji appointed him as his political secretary. He later became the most trusted advisor to the Maharawal Saheb and the General Secretary of the then Swatantra Party in Rajasthan. In the political circles of the time, he even came to be known as Maharawal Laxman Singh’s ji ‘Chanakya’. *Close Association with Rajaji and the Swatantra Party* A significant chapter in Kanti nath ji Sharma’s life was linked to C. Rajagopalachari ji —popularly known as ‘Rajaji’—the first Indian Governor-General of independent India, and the Swatantra Party. Following the party's founding by Rajaji in 1959, Kanti nath ji Sharma assumed a pivotal role in its Rajasthan unit. He was adept at providing impactful, real-time Hindi translations of Rajaji’s speeches delivered in English. According to published memoirs, Rajaji himself was impressed by his style of speech translation. During this political tenure, he was also entrusted with the responsibility of bringing the Maharani of Jaipur, Gayatri Devi ji , into the Swatantra Party and providing her with political orientation and guidance. This remains a notable episode in the political history of Rajasthan. *Maharawal Laxman Singh’s ‘Right-Hand Man’* Kanti nath ji Sharma’s bond with Maharawal Laxman Singh ji endured throughout his life. He played a crucial role in drafting the Maharawal’s speeches for Parliament and the Legislative Assembly, as well as in shaping political strategy. Records indicate that in 1971—when the Congress government led by Mohan Lal ji Sukhadia lost its majority—Kanti nath ji Sharma was placed under house arrest alongside Maharawal Laxman Singh ji during the agitation in Jaipur concerning the proposed *Samvid* (coalition) government. His erudition and political acumen ensured that he maintained connections with prominent leaders and respected figures from royal families across the country, not just within Rajasthan. Stalwarts such as Mohan Lal ji Sukhadia, Haridev ji Joshi, and Bhairon Singh ji Shekhawat etc.also respected his political prowess. *Witness to an Era* The significance of Bhatt Kantinath जी Sharma lies in the fact that he witnessed, at close quarters, various transitional phases: the era of princely states, the struggle for independence, the integration of these states, and the democratic politics of independent India. He possessed a vast repository of memories and anecdotes concerning the Dungarpur royal family, the Swatantra Party, Rajasthan’s politics, and numerous national politicians and royal households. Published accounts reveal that while his family urged him to pen his autobiography or memoirs, he declined, stating that if he were to write, he would record not only the pleasant episodes but also the bitter truths. It is precisely for this reason that his life holds immense importance for historians and those interested in the political and social history of Rajasthan. He departed from this world in 2016, on the day of Hanuman Jayanti, having lived for nearly a century; yet, his memory endures as the Dungarpur royal family’s beloved ‘Master Sahab.’ To describe Kantinath Ji Sharma merely as the ‘royal family’s mentor’ would be to diminish the scope of his personality. He was a skilled teacher, a profound scholar of Indian culture, the Vedas, and the Puranas, and an accomplished Sanskritist; he was also a gifted writer and orator, a political strategist, and a living witness to the era when the princely state of Dungarpur was transforming into its new identity within modern, democratic India. A million salutations on Teachers' Day to this cherished luminary of Dungarpur and profound scholar of Hindi, English, and Sanskrit...!!