That prestige came from heading Mughal and British armies in the Deccan and Europe respectively, where they proved their courage and loyalty to the rulers of the day. Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner came to be known as one of India's principal rulers and statesmen. His shikar-diplomacy, conducted at his hunting lodge at Gajner, won him many concessions from the British. Among them was the chance to build his own railway and start the ambitious Ganga Canal that transformed the parched desert landscape, ensuring that this small desert town would continue to exert considerable influence on the fortunes of Rajasthan for a long time to come.