Present Head
Brig.(retd) Raja KAMAKSHYA PRASAD SINGH Deo Mahendra Bahadur A.V.S.M., Raja of Dhenkanal since 1965. (P.O. Dhenkanal-759001, Orissa, India), born in Calcutta, B.Sc. (Hons) (Geology), B.L.D (Orissa), educated at La Martineire School and Jadavpur University, Calcutta and Ravenshaw College, Cuttack (Orissa). Member of the Rajya Sabha [28.1.1972] - [2.4.1976] and member of the 4th, 7th, 8th, 10th, 11th and 13th Lok Sabha. Represented India in rowing; Orissa in hockey and rowing; Jadavpur University in hockey, football and rowing; Utkal University in cricket; a rugby player; conducts martial arts competitions. Member, Indian Parliamentary Delegations to Canada, 1989, Nepal, 1973 and Zimbabwe, 1986. Commissioned in the Territorial Army in the Regiment of artillery and fought in 1971 Indo-Pak war Operation Cactus); qualified as 1st paratrooper of the Territorial Army in 1986, commanded the Territorial Army contingent in the Republic Day Parade, 1976; qualified instructor in Army School of Mechanical Transport, 1976 and Infantry School, Mhow 1976; qualified as the 1st Asian as International Umpire in Rowing 1981; conducted 9th Asian Games as umpire in 1982, World Championship in 1983, 1985, 1987 and 1989; Asian Games 1982, 1986, 1990 and 1994; Olympic Games 1984, 1988; Chef De Mission, India Contingent to Olympics 1988; married 6th May 1962, Rani Savitri Devi (Krishna Devi), daughter of HH Maharaja Pratap Kesari Deo of Kalahandi, and his wife, HH Maharani Kasturika Mohini Devi, and has issue, two sons and three daughters.
- Rajkumar Yuvaraj Amar Jyoti Singh Deo, married 8th December 1990, Rajkumari Meenal Kumari, elder daughter of Maharajkumar Ranjitsinhji of Wankaner, and has issue, one son and one daughter.
- Yuvraj Kumari Yashashwani Devi
- Yuvraj Kumar Vidvattam Singh Deo, studying at Lamartiniere for Boys, Kolkata.
- Raj Kumari Annapurna Devi, married Kunwar Vikramaditya Ranawat of Bhupalgarh, and has issue, three daughters and one son.
- Raj Kumari Anuradha Devi, married Kunwar Chandraveer Singh, son of Maharaj Amarendra Singh Ji of Salumber, and has issue, one son.
- Raj Kumar Pattayet Ashok Vardhan Singh Deo, a pilot with Kingfisher Airlines, married Pattayet Rani Ritu Devi, and has issue, one son and one daughter.
- Kumari Ananya Devi
- Kumar Jaivardhan Singh Deo
- Raj Kumari Anusuya Devi
History
The state was founded about 1530 by a scion of the Khurda family. The Raja maintains a military force of 343 infantry and 8 guns.
Genealogy
- Unknown, married and had issue.
- Raja Govinda Singh Bidyadhar, he was appointed Prime Minister to the Raja of Orissa, and eventually succeeded as Raja Govindaraja Vidyadhara Deva of Orissa in 1541.
- Raja Hari Singh Bidyadhar (qv)
- Raja Janardan Singh Bidyadhar, he was appointed Finance Minister to the Raja of Orissa.
- Raja HARI SINGH Vidyadhar, Raja of Dhenkanal 1530/1584, he came to Puri from Paschim, with his two brothers, and was appointed Commander of the Army by the Raja of Orissa; later he was granted as a jagir, a strip of land called Karamol-Patna, to which he added Dhenkanal after overthrowing the last Bhanja Raja; he was granted the title of Raisingha Bharamarbar Ray by the Raja of Puri; married and had issue. He died .
- Raja Loknath Rai Singh Bharamarbar (qv)
- Raja LOKNATH Rai Singh Bhramarbar Rai, Raja of Dhenkanal 1584/1615 or 1585/1606, his reign was peaceful, and was noted for the foundation of the temple of Baldev Jew, still the most important shrine in Dhenkanal; married and had issue.
- Raja Balbhadra Rai Singh Bharamarbar (qv)
- Raja BALBHADRA Rai Singh Bhramarbar Rai, Raja of Dhenkanal 1615/1641 or 1606/1632, he annexed a portion of the adjoining Talcher state.
- Raja NILAKANTH Rai Singh Bhramarbar Rai, Raja of Dhenkanal 1641/1682 or 1632/1652, a peaceful reign, during which the Nilakanthapur Sasan was established; married and had issue.
- Raja Nrusinha Rai Singh Bhramarbar Rai (qv)
- Raja NRUSINGH Rai Singh Bhramarbar Rai, Raja of Dhenkanal 1682/1708 or 1652/1694, he defeated the Raja of Madhupur in battle and annexed a portion od his state; he further extended the area of Dhenkanal by attaching parts of Keonjhar, Athgarh, Tigria and Sukhinda;
- Raja KUNJA BEHARI Rai Singh Bhramarbar Rai, Raja of Dhenkanal 1708/1728 or 1694/1720
- Raja BRAJA BEHARI Bhramarbar, Raja of Dhenkanal 1728/1741 or 1720/1744
- Raja DAMODAR Rai Singh Bhramarbar Rai, Raja of Dhenkanal 1741/1743 or 1744/1746
- Raja TRILOCHAN SINGH Mahendra Bahadur, Raja of Dhenkanal 1743/1785 or 1756/1798 or 1746/1788, he quarelled with the Raja of Nagpur over a disagreement in payment of tribute, troops were sent by the Subedar to Dhenkanal but were defeated, the Subedar then asked the Raja of Nagpur for more troops and a large army was sent in 1781, the result was indecisive but in the ensuing treaty the tribute was halved and the Raja of Dhenkanal was honoured by the granting of the title of Mahendra Bahadur by the Maharaja of Puri (the title of Rai Singh Bhramarbar Rai was then reserved for the Yuvaraj); married and had issue.
- Raja Dayanidhi Mahendra Bahadur (qv)
- Raja DAYANIDHI Mahendra Bahadur, Raja of Dhenkanal 1785/1796 or 1788/1798, his reign was a peaceful one.
- Raja RAM CHANDRA Mahendra Bahadur, Raja of Dhenkanal 1796/1807 or 1798/1812
- Raja KRISHNA CHANDRA Mahendra Bahadur, Raja of Dhenkanal 1807/1822 or 1812/1822
- Raja SHYAM CHANDRA Mahendra Bahadur [or Shyam Sundar], Raja of Dhenkanal 1822/1832
- Maharaja BHAGIRATH Mahendra Bahadur, Raja of Dhenkanal 1832/1877, born , a profound scholar of high Sanskrit learning, an able administrator, a patron of learning and of industrial improvements, a man of rare intellect, high morals, exemplary character, and of liberal views, he restored all administrative reforms and secured order by settling the tenure of the State and by introducing working methods and the keeping of accounts in the various departments; the establishment of all public institutions such as schools, dispensaries, jails, and courts, was undertaken by him; and by virtue of his successful reign he was created Maharaja by the British Government in 1869; he donated substantially towards the establishment of public institutions abroad, such as the Ravenshaw College of Cuttack, the Cuttack Printing Company, and medical schools, and to several pandits and scholars; he was charitable to the poor and needy, and dispensed justice in an impartial and even-handed manner; he was a successful sportsman and a keen shot, and he killed no fewer than 352 tigers during his lifetime; married and had adoptive issue. He died .
- (A) Raja Dinabandhu Mahendra Bahadur (qv)
COURT OF WARDS 1877/1885
- Raja DINABANDHU Mahendra Bahadur, Raja of Dhenkanal 1877/1885, younger son of Raja Pitamber Deo of Baudh; married a Princess of Bonai, and had issue. He died .
- Raja Shura Pratap Singh Dev Mahendra Bahadur (qv)
COURT OF WARDS 1885/1906
- Raja SHURA PRATAP SINGH Dev Mahendra Bahadur, Raja of Dhenkanal 1885/1918, born about February 1885 (or 1884), succeeded 29th August 1885 under the management of the Court of Wards, educated at the Ravenshaw Collegiate School; placed in charge of his state in 1906; married 1902, Rani Krushna Priya Devi, daughter of Tikayat Nruparaj Singh Deo of Seraikella, and had issue, six sons. He died .
- Raja Shankar Pratap Singh Dev Mahendra Bahadur (qv)
- Rajkumar Pattayet Sahib Narsingh Pratap Singh Deo, married Pattayet Rani Jatan Kumari Devi, daughter of Rao Bahadur Thakur Shivnath Singhji of Bera in Marwar, and his second wife, Rani Narendar Kanwar, and had issue.
- Kumar Arjendu Pratap Singh Deo, married 1stly (div.), Kumari Laxmi Kumari, daughter of the Raja Saheb of Sallyan in Nepal, married 2ndly, Rajkumari Chandra Kumari, daughter of Capt. Maharaj Mohan Singhji of Raoti, and his wife, Rani Nain Kanwar Sodisa, and has further issue, two sons and two daughters.
- Kumar Sagar Singh Deo (by Kumari Laxmi Kumari)
- Jyoti Pratap Singh Deo (by Rajkumari Chandra Kumari), married to Savita Singh of Bari Sadri.
- Kritika Singh Deo (by Rajkumari Chandra Kumari)
- Mrigakshi Singh Deo (by Rajkumari Chandra Kumari)
- Rani Saheba Jogmaya Devi, married Maharaj Sahib Narpat Singhji of Idar, and has issue. She died on .
- Kumar Arjendu Pratap Singh Deo, married 1stly (div.), Kumari Laxmi Kumari, daughter of the Raja Saheb of Sallyan in Nepal, married 2ndly, Rajkumari Chandra Kumari, daughter of Capt. Maharaj Mohan Singhji of Raoti, and his wife, Rani Nain Kanwar Sodisa, and has further issue, two sons and two daughters.
- Raj Kumar Sri Shesh Pratap Singh Deo, married Raj Kumari Mohan Devi, daughter of Rao Ranjit Singhji of Kushalgarh, Rajasthan, and had issue, two daughters and one son.
- Kumari Kamlesh Devi (Kolkata, India)
- Kumari Amaresh Devi, married Kumar Har Mohan Singh Roy, retired General Manager of United Commercial Bank, and has issue, three sons.
- Ambar Singh Roy, journalist, married and has issue.
- Arup Singh Roy, married, and had issue, one son.
- Anirudha Singh Roy
- Kumar Ranendra Pratap Singh Deo, married Rajkumari Kavita Devi, daughter of Raja Brajraj Kshatriya Birbar Chamupati Singh Mahapatra of Tigiria, and his wife, Rani Rasmanjari Devi, and has issue, one son and one daughter.
- Kumar Jeetendra Pratap Singh Deo, born , married Kumari Nabonita Devi, daughter of Thakur Gajendra Singh of Dhamotar, and his wife, Thakurain Devendra Kumari, and has issue, one daughter.
- Kumari Mridvika, aged 7 years (2007).
- Kumari Aparna Devi, born , married in Pachlana, Kumar Vrish Kirti Rathore, and has issue, one daughter.
- Kumari Shamadmika
- Kumar Jeetendra Pratap Singh Deo, born , married Kumari Nabonita Devi, daughter of Thakur Gajendra Singh of Dhamotar, and his wife, Thakurain Devendra Kumari, and has issue, one daughter.
- Raj Kumar Brajesh Pratap Singh Deo, adopted by Rajmata Indumati Debi of Dompada on 18th December 1922, and succeeded there as Raja Amarendra Mansingh Bhramabar Rai, Raja Saheb of Dompada, married Rani Pritam Kumari, daughter of Rao Ranjit Singhji of Kushalgarh in Rajasthan, and had issue, one daughter.
- Rani Indira Devi, married Raja Rajendra Chandra Mardraj Harichandan of Nilgiri, and has issue, two sons and one daughter.
- Raj Kumar Gaurendra Pratap Singh Deo, married Raj Kumari Pratibha Devi of Raidihi, a Zamindari of Kharswan, and has issue, three sons.
- Kumar Sailaja Shankar Singh Deo, married to Rajkumari Jaishree Devi, daughter of Raja Sir Narashingha Malla Deb, O.B.E, K.B.E, Ex-Member of Parliament of Jhargram Raj, and has issue, two married daughters.
- Kumari Sailashree Devi
- Kumari Sushree Devi
- Kumar Bhawani Shankar Singh Deo, retired Executive Director of National Aluminium Co. Ltd.; married Rajkumari Sucharumoni Devi, daughter of Sri Raja Vyricharla Durga Prasad Deo Raju Bahadur Garu of Kurupam, and his wife, Rani Vyricharla Sobhalata Devi, and has issue, two sons.
- Kumar Sujit Singh Deo
- Kumar Sameer Singh Deo
- Wg.-Cdr Kumar Biroja Shankar Singh Deo, married Kumar Rani Alaknanda Devi, daughter of Maharaj Sajjan Singhji of Jodhpur, and his wife, Rani Ratan Kanwar, and has issue, two sons.
- Kumar Sidharth Singh Deo
- Kumar Gautam Singh Deo
- Kumar Sailaja Shankar Singh Deo, married to Rajkumari Jaishree Devi, daughter of Raja Sir Narashingha Malla Deb, O.B.E, K.B.E, Ex-Member of Parliament of Jhargram Raj, and has issue, two married daughters.
- Rajkumar Samarendra Pratap Singh Deo, married Rajkumar Rani Nirmala Devi, daughter of the Thakur Saheb of Eral in Gujarat, and had issue, one daughter.
- Kumari Gayatri Devi, married Kumar Sachindra Narayan Singh Deo of Panchkote, and has issue, two daughters.
- Raja SHANKAR PRATAP SINGH Dev Mahendra Bahadur, Raja of Dhenkanal 1918/1965, born and succeeded 16th October 1918, educated at Cambridge College (Senior), Rajkumar College, Raipur and Ravenshaw College, Cuttack (B.A.); topped in India in the Chiefs College Diploma Examinations in 1922, Member of the Chamber of Princes 1929/1946; Member of the Orissa Legislative Assembly 1957/1961 and Member of the Rajya Sabha [3.4.1964] - [3.8.1965]; Author of a number of books in Oriya and Hindi; Member of standing committee of Rural Council, Eastern State Agency; his interest in philosophy led to Philosophical research, discussion on Vedanta Philosophy, Bhakti Cultures and Aurobindo Philosophy; married Rani Shrimati Ratna Prabha Devi, born , died , daughter of Raja Aditya Pratap Singh Deo of Seraikella, and his wife, Rani Padmini Kumari Devi, and had issue, two sons. He died .
- Brig.(retd) Raja Kamakshya Prasad Singh Deo Mahendra Bahadur (qv)
- Raj Kumar Pattayet Matru Prasad Singh Deo, married Pattayet Rani Basanti Devi, daughter of Kumar Govind Pratap Singh Deo, of Nuagarh in Seraikella, and has issue, two sons and two daughters.
- Kumar Saheb Harsh Vardhan Singh Deo, married Kumar Rani Chandrika Kumari, elder daughter of Maharaj Dileep Singh of Jobat, and his wife, Rani Bhubaneshwari Devi, and has issue, one son and one daughter.
- Kumar Som Kirti Singh Deo, studying at Ooty
- Kumari Nilambika Kumari.
- Kumar Rani Padmini Devi, married to Lt.-Col. Kumar Sanjay Shah Deo of Ratu (Chhota Nagpur), and has issue, two daughters.
- Kumari Akansha
- Kumari Anukriti
- Kumar Sahib Rajiv Lochan Singh Deo, married Kumar Rani Sushmita Devi, daughter of Kumar Kamkshya Pratap Singh Deo of Panchkote.
- Kumar Rani Rukmini Devi, married to Kumar Kirti Dev Singh of Nagod, and has issue, one daughter.
- Kumari Nandika
- Kumar Saheb Harsh Vardhan Singh Deo, married Kumar Rani Chandrika Kumari, elder daughter of Maharaj Dileep Singh of Jobat, and his wife, Rani Bhubaneshwari Devi, and has issue, one son and one daughter.
- Brig.(retd) Raja KAMAKSHYA PRASAD SINGH Deo Mahendra Bahadur, Raja of Dhenkanal (see above)
