Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma, the chief of Tipra Motha and a descendant of Tripura’s royal family, recently shared a fascinating story about how his grandmother, Kanchan Prabha Devi, helped Tripura join India after the Partition. In an exclusive chat with , he revealed her crucial role in keeping the princely state out of East Pakistan’s grasp, thanks to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s sharp moves.
Picture this: It was 1949, and Tripura faced a real threat. East Pakistan troops were inching closer to take over the region. Pradyot’s father, just 14, was the ruling minor king, while his grandmother acted as regent after losing her husband. “She was the key person who ensured we became part of India,” Pradyot said. When news broke of the invading forces, Kanchan Prabha Devi quickly reached out to Sardar Patel. He stepped in decisively, arresting a key conspirator who was sailing in from London right at Mumbai’s docks.
Kanchan Prabha Devi didn’t stop there. She traveled from Shillong through Sylhet all the way to Tripura to sign the Instrument of Merger. “It was a tough time for a widow with a young son, handing over our future to the new nation of India,” Pradyot recalled. This bold decision saved Tripura from falling into East Pakistan’s hands and integrated it into India.
But why don’t we hear more about her story compared to other princely states’ mergers? Pradyot believes it’s because the Northeast often feels distant from the rest of India. “The Northeast has been far from people’s hearts,” he noted. He also mentioned his grandfather’s close ties with Mahatma Gandhi before independence, which added to their pro-India stance.
The backdrop was chaotic. Riots rocked undivided Bengal, Noakhali, and Bandarban. Hindus, Bengalis, and minorities faced brutal violence—killings, rapes, burned homes, and destroyed temples. Thousands fled to Tripura for safety. “Tribal people here gave them shelter during the crisis,” Pradyot explained. But this influx tripled Tripura’s population, leaving tribals feeling alienated and landless.
Pradyot pointed out how politicians and foreign powers exploited these tensions, sparking insurgency and riots. Today, he calls for unity between Tripura’s tribals and the refugee communities from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). “If we join hands, we can stand up to Bangladesh—the same place that drove them out, burned their temples, and looted their lives,” he said passionately.
He dreams big for “Greater Tipraland,” including areas like Chittagong Hill Tracts, Cox’s Bazar, and Bandarban. Reclaiming these could transform the Northeast’s economy. “We’d trade freely with Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Australia. No more landlocked woes—the whole region’s map would change,” Pradyot envisioned. He regrets that India didn’t seize Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar during the 1971 war victory over Pakistan, when 90,000 troops surrendered. “We could’ve been booming today,” he added.
This untold chapter of Tripura’s history highlights the resilience of its royal family and the Northeast’s pivotal role in India’s story.
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