PRESENT RULER: Raja PRADIP CHANDRA DEO SAMANT, Raja Saheb of Athmalik

Member of the Executive Committee of Rajkumar College at Raipur; married Rani Parvati Devi (+), daughter of Raja Harihar Singh Mardaraj of Khandpara, and has issue, one daughter and one son.

• Rani Archana Devi, married Raja Tribikram Chandra Deb Birbar Mangraj Mahapatra, Raja Saheb of Baramba.

• Yuvraj Paresh Chandra Deo, married Yuvrani Shivangi Devi from Lakhanpur, and has issue, two sons.

  • Kumar Vishwa Chandra Deo

  • Kumar Prithviraj Chandra Deo

PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: .The origin of the state is obscure. Tradition states that the founder of the family, Pratap Dev, came to Puri and quarrelled with the Raja, who put to death two of his seven brothers. The survivors fled to Bonai and established themselves there. Pratap Dev next proceeded to Baudh and thence to Athmalik, of which he took possession after killing the Dom Chief. He established a village named Pratappur and declared himself as the Raja of the area. He subsequently divided the territory into 8 divisions, each under a Chieftain, called Malik, as a measure to suppress the unruly tribes. Hence, the Kingdom changed its name from Hondapa to Athamalik which means the land of 8 chieftains. In the course of time his successor shifted the capital from Hondapa to Thakurgarh, Nuagaon and finally to Purunagarh (Kaintaragarh). The palace records show that 42 Kings of this dynasty have ruled the estate in succession from the time of Pratap Deo. Laxmidhar Deo, who ruled from 1785 to 1802, threw off allegiance to Baudh and declared himself as an independent ruler in Athmalik. In the treaty engagement of 1804, it is mentioned as a tributary of Baudh, but was treated as a separate state in the sanad granted to the Raja in 1894. The Chief of Athmalik was officially known as Zamindar and was addressed as Samant. In 1874, the chief of Athmalik was recognized as ruler, and he was granted the hereditary title of Raja. Predecessor state founded in antiquity, the modern Princely State came into being in 1874. Rulers were...

1. Raja JOGENDRA DEO SAMANT 1874/1877, born 1821, married and had issue. He died 4th February 1877.

   • Maharaja MAHENDRA DEO SAMANT (qv)

2. Maharaja MAHENDRA DEO SAMANT 1877/1902, born about 1848, succeeded 4th February 1877 ^(#1) , he was granted the title of Maharaja in 1890 as a personal distinction, in recognition of his good administration of the state; he married and had issue.

   • Raja BIBHUDENDRA DEO SAMANT (qv)

3. Raja BIBHUDENDRA DEO SAMANT 1902/1918, established a number of Primary Schools during his benevolent rule; he married 1stly, a Princess of Patna, married 2ndly, a Princess of Tarala, and had issue, three surviving sons and three daughters. He died 1918.

   • Yuvraj Baidyanath Chandra Deo (by first wife), died unmarried in his youth.

   • Raja KISHOR CHANDRA DEO SAMANT (by first wife) (qv)

   • Rajkumari (name unknown) (by first wife) [Rani Saheb of Kaptipada]

   • Raja SURAJ MANI DEO SAMANT (by 2nd wife) (qv)

   • Rajkumari (name unknown) (by 2nd wife) [Rani Saheb of Parikud]

   • Rani Satyavati Devi (by 2nd wife), married Raja Narayan Prasad Deo of Baudh.

   • Kumar Saheb Rudra Mani Deo (+) (by 2nd wife), married and had issue, two sons.

4. Raja KISHOR CHANDRA DEO SAMANT 1918/19xx , born 10rd November 1904, succeeded 3rd November 1918, Investiture held on 24th December 1925, educated at Rajkumar College, Raipur; M.L.A. (Orissa), after the death of the late Raja Saheb, Col. Cobden Ramsay, the Commissioner and Political Agent, took control of the royal properties, as the Heir was a minor and he appointed a superintendent for management of royal affairs along with education and up-bringing of the young prince. The Raja was responsible for the construction of Primary Schools, a Girls’ School, the temple of Maheswari, bridges on the road from Kaintaragarh to Boinda, improvements in the road from Kaintaragarh to Kiakata, a road from Kaintaragarh to Durha, Kacheri road and many big tanks. He devoted himself to the task of bringing all round development to the state. He had brought about many administrative and taxation reforms, the whole state being administered in 4 praganas and two sub-divisions namely Athamallik sadar and Kishorenagar; married 1stly, a Princess of Keonjhar, daughter of Raja Gopinath Narayan Bhanj Deo of Keonjhar, married 2ndly, Rani Srimanta Manjari, daughter of Lal Saheb Harish Chandra Bhanj Deo of Mayurbhanj, had adoptive issue, married 3rdly, Rani Khirod Kumari Devi, daughter of the Raja of Tekkali in Andhra Pradesh, had adoptive issue, married 4thly, Rani Umnani Devi, daughter of the Raja of Maheshpur Raj. He died sp.

   • (A) Rani Manoja Manjari Devi, eldest daughter of Raja Kirti Chandra Deo Harishchandra Jagadev of Surangi, and his wife, Rani Soubhagya Manjari Devi; adopted by Rani Srimanta Manjari; educated at St. Joseph’s Convent and Sailabala Women’s College, Cuttack and has a diploma in Interior Decoration and a Post Graduate Degree in Psychological Counselling. She is a Reiki Grandmaster (Reiki is a healing therapy recognized by the W.H.O. as an alternate therapy). She is the Director of SVADHYAYA FOUNDATION involved in Reiki teaching and practising. She is also a Founder member of AOL Bhubaneswar Chapter. She is proud to have represented AOL in World Faith Conference in 1999 as its youngest delegate. She was associated with the Training Division of AMWAY INTERNATIONAL, which was awarded for its express efforts at setting up the Pick up Centre at Bhubaneswar. She is the Hereditary Trustee and President of Nilgiri Debotar and is involved in many religious and charitable services through it. She is a Trustee of VISAMO FOUNDATION involved in educating brilliant children from BPL families. Besides Social activities, her literary awards have been rewarded by Swami Tejomayananda in Chinmay International Magzines. Some of her works have been published in Asian Age, Sambad and Bhubaneswar Club Magazine of which she was on the Editorial Board. She has addressed the Rotary Club of Bhubaneswar on two occasions, once on Reiki and recently on Life After Death; married Raja Jayant Chandra Mardraj Harichandan of Nilgiri, and has issue, one son.

     • • Yuvraj Janmajay Mardaraj, born 25th May 1986.

   • (A) Kumar Martanda Mandan Chandra Deb, son of Rajkumar Pratap Chandra Deb of Talcher, and his wife, Rajkumari Indira Devi, daughter of Raja Govind Chandra Deb of Tekkali, Senior Branch, adopted by Rani Khirod Kumari Devi; presently working in Gurgaon, Haryana.

5. Raja SURAJ MANI DEO SAMANT, married Rani Radha Manjari Devi, daughter of the Raja of Sankhemundi (District Ganjam), and had issue, two sons and two daughters.

   • Raja PRADIP CHANDRA DEO SAMANT (qv)

   • Pattayet Arun Chandra Deo, married Patayet Rani Anuma Devi, daughter of a Lal Saheb of Bamra, and has issue, one son.

     • Kumar Mahesh Chandra Deo, married in Garwha, Jharkhand and has issue, one daughter.

       • Kumari Ritaparna Devi

   • Rajkumari Manoj Manjari Devi, married in Kutumdola (District Bolangir), and has issue, one son and one daughter.

   • Rajkumari Shobha Manjari Devi, married Lalji Indrajeet Pratap Singh Deo of Lakhanpur in Surguja, and has issue, three daughters.

6. Raja Shri PRADIP CHANDRA DEO SAMANT (see above)