Sonepur, also known as Sonpur State,[1] was one of the princely states of India during the period of the British Raj. Its ruler was entitled to a nine-gun salute.[2] Formerly it was placed under the Central India Agency, but in 1905 it was transferred to the Eastern States Agency.[3] Its capital was Sonepur, the only significant town in the area. The former state's territory is in the present-day Subarnapur district, Odisha.

Sonepur State
Sonpur State
Princely State of British India
1650–1948
Coat of arms of Sonpur
Coat of arms

Sonepur State in the Imperial Gazetteer of India
CapitalSubarnapur
Area 
• 1901
2,347 km2 (906 sq mi)
Population 
• 1901
169,877
History 
• Established
1650
1948
Succeeded by
India

History

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The Sonepur state was founded in 1650 when the fourth Chauhan ruler of Sambalpur Madhukar Dev, conquered the region from the Bhanja rulers of Boudh and entrusted it to his younger son Madan Gopal who hence became the founder of the Chauhan dynasty branch of Sonepur.[4][5]

The state came under the control of the British Empire post the Maratha defeat and later king Niladhar Singh Deo was awarded titles for services rendered to the British during the Sambalpur uprising.[6]

After Indian independence, Sonepur's last ruler acceded to the newly independent Dominion of India, on 1 January 1948 with the state forming much of the present-day Subarnapur district.

Rulers

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Ruling Chiefs of Sonepur

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Ruling Chiefs of Sonepur
Name Date of birth Reign began Reign ended Date of death
Madan Gopal Singh Deo 1650 1680
Lal Sai Singh Deo 1680 1689
Purusottam Singh Deo 1689 1709
Raj Singh Deo 1709 1729
Achal Singh Deo 1729 1749
Divya Singh Deo 1749 1766
Jarawar Singh Deo 1766 1767
Sobha Singh Deo 1767 1781
Prithvi Singh Deo 1781 1841
Niladhar Singh Deo 1838 27 July 1841 9 September 1891
Pratap Rudra Singh Deo 22 July 1853 9 September 1891 8 August 1902
Bir Mitrodaya Singh Deo 8 July 1874 8 August 1902 29 April 1937
Sudhansu Shekhar Singh Deo 23 August 1899 29 April 1937 10 August 1963

Titular

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Titular Chiefs of Sonepur
Name Date of birth Reign began Reign ended Date of death
Bir Pratap Singh Deo 31 July 1923 10 August 1963 28th December 1971 (deposed) 24 November 1972
Prithvi Bir Singh Deo 24 November 1972

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Sonpur" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 25 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 416.
  2. ^ Sonepur Princely State (9 gun salute)
  3. ^ Malleson, G. B.: An historical sketch of the native states of India, London 1875, Reprint Delhi 1984
  4. ^ ODISHA DISTRICT GAZETTEERS SUBARNAPUR (PDF), GAD, Govt of Odisha, 2016, pp. 22–29
  5. ^ Raghumani Naik (3 March 2018), GENEALOGICAL ANALYSIS OF CHAUHAN RULERS OF PATNAGARH IN WESTERN ORISSA: A STUDY, IRJHRSS, retrieved 12 March 2021
  6. ^ Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 23, p. 90.
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20°50′N 83°55′E / 20.83°N 83.92°E / 20.83; 83.92