PRESENT RULER: Maharaja (name unknown) Roy Bahadur, Zamindar of Dinajpur since 1962.

PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: Tradtionally believed to have been founded by a Dinaj or Dinaraj, otherwise unknown, from whom the district derived its name. During the rule of Mughal Emperor Akbar, a holy man known as Kasi Thakur, also familiar as Brahmachari and Mohanto, claiming descent from Raja Ganesha, a Hindu King 1414/1418, who, for a very short period, overthrew the Ilyas dynasty of Bengal. Born in a 400 year old ruling family, he was the zamindar of Bhaturia, and Governor of Dinajpur. He deposed Ala-ud-din Firuz Shah, the Ruler of Bengal in 1414 and is credited with the establishment of the Dinajpur Raj, acquired considerable lands in Dinajpur and Maldah districts. He is reported to have bequeathed his whole estate to Srimanta Dutta Chaudhury in 1642, who was one of his favourite Kayastha disciples. The East Bengal State Acquisition and Tenancy Act of 1950 was drafted on 31st March 1948 following Independence from the British Government of 15th August 1947, and subsequent partition into the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. The bill passed on 16th May 1951, thereby abolishing all Zamindari families rights, rule and responsibilities. Rulers were...

• Srimanta DUTTA CHAUDHRY, 1st Zamindar of Dinajpur 1608/-, married and had issue.

  • Srimanta Harishchandra Chaudhry (qv)

  • Daughter, married Hari Ram Rai, Diwan to the Zamindar of Idrakpur and scion of the Ghosh family; and had issue.

    • Raja Sukh Dev Roy ^(#3)(qv)

• Srimanta HARISHCHANDRA CHAUDHRY, 2nd Zamindar of Dinajpur -/1642

• Raja SUKH DEV ROY, 3rd Zamindar of Dinajpur 1642/1677 or 1644/1681, he inherited further lands in Rangpur, Bogra, Maldah, Dinajpur and Thakurgaon districts, and he also extended his estate to include Ghoraghat, Nawabpur, Khetlal, Shibganj, Panchbibi, Badalgachhi and Adamdighi thanas; he was granted the title of Raja by Padshah Aurangzeb of Delhi in 1677; married twice and had issue. He died 1681.

  • Rajkumar Ram Dev Roy (by 1st wife), died young.

  • Raja Jai Dev Roy (by 1st wife) (qv)

  • Raja Pran Nath Roy (by 2nd Wife) (qv)

• Raja JAI DEV ROY, 4th Zamindar of Dinajpur 1681/1682 or 1677/1682

• Maharaja PRAN NATH ROY Bahadur, 5th Zamindar of Dinajpur 1682/1723 or 1687/1719, he was the most famous and powerful potentate of the family who began the construction of the fabulously ornate terracotta Richkantanagar temple ('nava-ratna' temple) in 1722, but could not complete it during his lifetime, a site now preserved by the Government of Bangladesh; he was granted the title of Maharaja Bahadur by the Emperor Aurangzeb of Delhi; married and had adoptive issue. He died sp in 1723.

  • (A) Raja Ram Nath Roy (qv)

• Maharaja RAM NATH ROY Bahadur, 6th Zamindar of Dinajpur 1723/1760, succeeded by adoption; he conquered and dispossessed the Zamindar of Gobindanagar and expanded his territories, he was confirmed with the title of Maharaja Bahadur as a hereditary distinction in 1745; married and had adoptive issue. He died 1760.

  • (A) Maharaja Baidyanath Roy Bahadur (qv)

• Maharaja BAIDYANATH ROY Bahadur, 7th Zamindar of Dinajpur 1760/1778, he was named the Heir by his adoptive father (and was confirmed as such by the Subahdar of Bengal), hence he became Zamindar of Dinajpur in 1760, five years later, the British gained the Dewani of Bengal and in 1772, a British Chief of the revenue was appointed to the Zamindari of Dinajpur; married Rani Saraswati (who adopted the future Raja Radhanath). He died sp in 1780.

  • (A) Maharaja Radha Nath Roy Bahadur (qv)

REGENT 1780/1795, Maharani Saraswati, sister of Janaki Ram Singh, Revenue Collector for Dinajpur, he died about 1790 in Calcutta.

• Maharaja RADHA NATH ROY Bahadur, Zamindar of Dinajpur 1778/1801, born about January 1777, he succeeded by adoption, at his accession he owned the greater part of the three districts of Dinajpur, Maldah, and Bogra, but after the Decennial Settlement the bulk of the estate was sold for arrears of revenue, married and had adoptive issue. He died sp on 25th January 1801.

  • (A) Maharaja Gobinda Nath Roy Bahadur (qv)

• Maharaja GOBINDA NATH ROY Bahadur, Zamindar of Dinajpur 1801/1840, born 1799, married Maharani Tripura Sundari, and had issue. He died 1840.

  • Maharaja Tarak Nath Roy Bahadur (qv)

REGENT 1801/1817, Maharani Tripura Sundari

• Maharaja TARAK NATH ROY Bahadur, Zamindar of Dinajpur 1840/1865, born 1833, married 1846, Maharani Shyam Mohini (qv), and had issue, as well as adoptive issue. He died spm in 1865.

  • Kumari (name unknown), married Raja Bahadur Khettra Mohan Sinha, and had issue.

    • Maharaja Sir Girija Nath Roy Bahadur (qv)

  • (A) Maharaja Sir Girija Nath Roy Bahadur (qv)

• Maharani Shyam Mohini, Zamindarani of Dinajpur 1865/1882, born in August 1833, she was granted the title of Maharani on the 26th July 1875 ^(#1) as a personal distinction; she adopted her successor after her husband's death

• Maharaja Sir GIRIJA NATH ROY Bahadur K.C.I.E., Zamindar of Dinajpur 1882/1919, born 1860/1862, he was adopted at the age of four years and ten months; educated at Queen's College, Benares and privately at home; Member of the Eastern Bengal and Assam Legislative Council 1906/1911; Honorary Magistrate, Dinajpur; Vice-President, British Indian Association, Calcutta; former President, East Bengal Landholders Association; Chairman, Dinajpur Municipality; former Vice-Chairman, Dinajpur District Board; President Dinajpur Landholders' Association; Member, East India Association, London; Asiatic Society, Bengal; Calcutta Literary Society; Bangiya Sahitya Parisat; Chairman, Reception Committee, All-India Kayastha Conference in Calcutta, 1912; President, All-India Kayastha Conference in Allahabad, 1914, he was granted the title of Maharaja as a personal distinction on 24th May 1884, and the higher title of Maharaja Bahadur in 1907, K.C.I.E. [cr.1914] ^(#2), Recreations: sports, music, married 1876, and had adoptive issue. He died sp in 1919.

  • (A) Maharaja Jagadish Nath Roy Bahadur (qv)

• The Honourable Captain Maharaja JAGADISH NATH ROY Bahadur F.R.S.A., Zamindar of Dinajpur 1919/1962, born 28th December 1894, he was adopted in 1900; educated at the Hindu School and Presidency College, Calcutta; he was appointed to be an Officer in the Indian Land Forces from January 1924, he became attached to the 11/19th Hyderabad Regiment, I.T.F., as an Honorary Lieutenant, he was subsequently promoted to Honorary Captain of the Force; Chairman of the District Board and Municipality of Dinajpur; he was elected a Member of the Bengal Legislative Council in 1930, and nominated a Member of the Council of State in 1933; President of the All-India Kayastha Conference; Vice-President of the British-Indian Association and President of the East Bengal Landholder's Association; married 1916, and had issue. He died 1962 at Calcutta.

  • Maharajkumar Jaladhi Nath Roy, born 18 January 1928, died 4th March 1941.

OTHER MEMBERS:

• Kumar Girijanath Roy, married and had issue. He died after 1760.

  • Kumar Krishnanath Roy

  • Kumar Rupnath Roy

  • Maharaja Baidyanath Roy Bahadur (see above)

  • Kumar Kanthanath Roy (same as following?)

  • Kumar Ram Kantha Roy, installed as Manager of Dinajpur Raj in June 1787