The Chamber of Princes (Narendra Mandal) was an institution established in 1920 by a royal proclamation of King-EmperorGeorge V to provide a forum in which the rulers of the princely states of India could voice their needs and aspirations to the colonial government of British India. It survived until the end of the British Raj in 1947.[1]
The Chamber of Princes was established in 1920, by King-Emperor George V's proclamation on 23 December 1919, after the Government of India Act 1919 was given royal assent. The creation of the chamber followed the abandonment by the British of their long-established policy of isolating the Indian rulers from each other and also from the rest of the world.[2]
The Chamber first met on 8 February 1921 and initially consisted of 120 members. Of those, 108 from the more significant states were members in their own right, while the remaining twelve seats were for the representation of a further 127 states. That left 327 minor states, which were unrepresented. Also, some of the more important rulers like the Maratha-ruled states of Baroda State, Gwalior State and Holkar State declined to join it .[3]
The Chamber of Princes usually met only once a year, with the Viceroy of India presiding, but it appointed a Standing Committee which met more often. The full Chamber elected from its princely ranks a permanent officer styled the Chancellor, who chaired the Standing Committee.[3]
The chamber convened at the Parliament House. Today the hall is used as the parliament's library.
Concerns about post-independence constitutionedit
Lord Mountbatten addressing the Chamber of Princes as Crown Representative in the 1940s
On 12 March 1940, the Chamber resolved:
The Chamber of Princes, while welcoming the attainment by India of its due place among the Dominions of the British Commonwealth under the British Crown, records its emphatic and firm view that, in any future constitution for India, the essential guarantees and safeguards for the preservation of the sovereignty and autonomy of the States and for the protection of their rights and interests arising from treaties, and engagements and sanads or otherwise, should be effectively provided and that any unit should not be placed in a position to dominate the others or to interfere with the rights and safeguards guaranteed to them, and that all parties must be ensured their due share and fair play; And that, in any negotiations for formulating a constitution for India, whether independently of the Government of India Act 1935, or by revision of that Act, representatives of the States and of this Chamber should have a voice proportionate to their importance and historical position.[4][5]
Chancellorsedit
Map of British-ruled India with the princely states coloured in yellow
^Vapal Pangunni Menon (1956) The Story of the Integration of the Indian States, Macmillan Co., pp. 17-19.
^Barbara N. Ramusack, The Princes of India in the Twilight of Empire: Dissolution of a Patron-client System, 1914–1939 (Ohio State University Press, 1978) p. xix
^ abJohn Allan, Wolseley Haig, Henry Dodwell, The Cambridge Shorter History of India (1969), p. 1065
^Nicholas Mansergh, Documents and Speeches on British Commonwealth Affairs, 1931–1952 (Oxford University Press, 1953) p. 606
Proceedings of the Meetings of the Chamber of Princes (Narendra Mandal) Held at New Delhi on 14 and 15 October 1943 at Google Books
R. P. Bhargava, The Chamber of Princes (Northern Book Centre, 1991, 351 pp.) ISBN81-7211-005-7
Barbara N. Ramusack, The Princes of India in the Twilight of Empire: Dissolution of a Patron-client System, 1914–1939 (Ohio State University Press, 1978)
Ian Copland, Princes of India in the Endgame of Empire, 1917-1947 (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Studies in Indian History & Society, 2002)
External linksedit
Media related to Chamber of Princes at Wikimedia Commons
Image of the chamber in session
January 01, 1970
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The Chamber of Princes Narendra Mandal was an institution established in 1920 by a royal proclamation of King Emperor George V to provide a forum in which the rulers of the princely states of India could voice their needs and aspirations to the colonial government of British India It survived until the end of the British Raj in 1947 1 Chamber of Princes meeting in March 1941 Contents 1 Overview 2 Concerns about post independence constitution 3 Chancellors 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksOverview editThe Chamber of Princes was established in 1920 by King Emperor George V s proclamation on 23 December 1919 after the Government of India Act 1919 was given royal assent The creation of the chamber followed the abandonment by the British of their long established policy of isolating the Indian rulers from each other and also from the rest of the world 2 The Chamber first met on 8 February 1921 and initially consisted of 120 members Of those 108 from the more significant states were members in their own right while the remaining twelve seats were for the representation of a further 127 states That left 327 minor states which were unrepresented Also some of the more important rulers like the Maratha ruled states of Baroda State Gwalior State and Holkar State declined to join it 3 The Chamber of Princes usually met only once a year with the Viceroy of India presiding but it appointed a Standing Committee which met more often The full Chamber elected from its princely ranks a permanent officer styled the Chancellor who chaired the Standing Committee 3 The chamber convened at the Parliament House Today the hall is used as the parliament s library Concerns about post independence constitution edit nbsp Lord Mountbatten addressing the Chamber of Princes as Crown Representative in the 1940s On 12 March 1940 the Chamber resolved The Chamber of Princes while welcoming the attainment by India of its due place among the Dominions of the British Commonwealth under the British Crown records its emphatic and firm view that in any future constitution for India the essential guarantees and safeguards for the preservation of the sovereignty and autonomy of the States and for the protection of their rights and interests arising from treaties and engagements and sanads or otherwise should be effectively provided and that any unit should not be placed in a position to dominate the others or to interfere with the rights and safeguards guaranteed to them and that all parties must be ensured their due share and fair play And that in any negotiations for formulating a constitution for India whether independently of the Government of India Act 1935 or by revision of that Act representatives of the States and of this Chamber should have a voice proportionate to their importance and historical position 4 5 Chancellors edit nbsp Map of British ruled India with the princely states coloured in yellow Name Title Years Major General His Highness Sir Ganga Singh Maharaja of Bikaner 1921 1926 Adhiraj Major General His Highness Sir Bhupinder Singh Maharaja of Patiala 1926 1931 Colonel His Highness Sir K S Ranjitsinhji Maharaja of Nawanagar 1931 1933 Colonel His Highness Sir K S Digvijaysinhji Maharaja of Nawanagar 1933 1943 Yadavindra Singh Maharaja of Patiala 1943 1944 Major General His Highness Sir Hamidullah Khan Nawab of Bhopal 1944 1947See also editDurbar court List of Indian princely states Salute stateReferences edit Vapal Pangunni Menon 1956 The Story of the Integration of the Indian States Macmillan Co pp 17 19 Barbara N Ramusack The Princes of India in the Twilight of Empire Dissolution of a Patron client System 1914 1939 Ohio State University Press 1978 p xix a b John Allan Wolseley Haig Henry Dodwell The Cambridge Shorter History of India 1969 p 1065 Nicholas Mansergh Documents and Speeches on British Commonwealth Affairs 1931 1952 Oxford University Press 1953 p 606 Verma Chamber of Princes 1921 1947 p 170Further reading editS M Verma Chamber of Princes 1921 1947 at Google Books ISBN 81 85135 44 4 Proceedings of the Meetings of the Chamber of Princes Narendra Mandal Held at New Delhi on 14 and 15 October 1943 at Google Books R P Bhargava The Chamber of Princes Northern Book Centre 1991 351 pp ISBN 81 7211 005 7 Barbara N Ramusack The Princes of India in the Twilight of Empire Dissolution of a Patron client System 1914 1939 Ohio State University Press 1978 Ian Copland Princes of India in the Endgame of Empire 1917 1947 Cambridge University Press Cambridge Studies in Indian History amp Society 2002 External links edit nbsp Media related to Chamber of Princes at Wikimedia Commons Image of the chamber in session Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chamber of Princes amp oldid 1213366939, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
