PRESENT RULER: Raja Shri ALOK KRISHNA Dev Bahadur, present Head of the Zamindari family of Sovabazar (36 Naba Krishna Street, Kolkata, India)

born 1935 in Kolkata, a retired clerk, seventh in descent from Raja Naba Krishna Bahadur.

PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: Ram Charan Dev settled at the village Gobindapur (present day Fort William) to look after his trade business. He was a Dewan under the Nawab of Cuttack. The family was rehabilitated to Sutanuti village in 1757 when the British started constructing the fort at Gobindapur village. Estate holders were ....

• Maharaja Sri NABA KRISHNA Dev Bahadur, 1st Zamindar of Sovabazar -/1797, born 1732, son of Ramcharan Dev of obscure origin, he learnt Urdu and Persian initially and later Arabic and English, he was appointed Persian teacher of Warren Hastings in 1750, at one point of time he was munshi (clerk-cum-interpreter) of Governor Drake, he mediated in political matters with the British, the Moghuls in Delhi, the Nawabs in Bengal and local Rajas and Zamindars and was a great supportor of the establishment of British power in India; he was granted the title of Maharaja Bahadur in 1766, later in 1776, he earned the talukdari (landholder with peculiar tenure) of Sutanati, he constructed the 50 km road from Behala to Kulpi in what was then jungle territory and built the Sovabazar Palace (Sobhabazaar Rajbari); married 1stly, Srimati Heramoni Dasi, married 2ndly, Rani Bhowani Dasi, married 3rdly, Srimati Kunjani Dasi, married 4thly, Srimati Shankari Dasi, married 5thly, Srimati Suki Dasi, married 6thly, 1775, Srimati Bilasi Dasi, and had issue, one son and three daughters, as well as adoptive issue. He died 22nd November 1797.

  • Srimati (name unknown) (by Rani Horamoni Dasi), born 1772.

  • Raja Sri Raj Krishna Dev Bahadur (qv)

  • (A) Raja Gopi Mohan Dev (qv)

• Raja Sri RAJ KRISHNA Dev Bahadur, 2nd Zamindar of Sovabazar 1797/1823, born August 1781, he was a scholar in Hindi, Parsi and English; he gifted a parcel of land of three square miles to construct Barrackpure Trunk Roadl; married and had issue, eight sons. He died 1823 after 13th June.

  • Raja Shiv Krishna Deb, born 1804, died 10th October 1866.

  • Raja Kali Krishna Deb Bahadur, born 1808, a scholar in Sanskrit and English, he was made a fellow of Calcutta University, a Justice of Peace, as well as other posts; he was granted the title of Raja Bahadur in 1833 by William Bentinck; married and had issue. He died 11th April 1874 at Varanasi.

    • Kumar Amarendra Krishna Deb (fourth son),

  • Kumar Devi Krishna Deb, born 1812, an avid reader, scholar and patron of literature, he was instrumental in popularizing the plays of Michal Madhusudan Dutta, like Krishna Kumari, he died 15th April 1872.

  • Kumar Sir Apurba Krishna Deb, born 1815, a reputed Scholar in Parsi, he was conferred with title of Raj Kavi and also received a knighthood; married and had issue. He died 1867.

    • Kumar Krishna Deb

    • Upendra Krishna Deb

  • Raja Madhab Krishna Deb, born 1816, died 5th June 1839.

  • Kumar Kamal Krishna Deb, born 1820, an eminent scholar and a member of the Viceroy Council; his contributions to society included the Mayo Hospital and the Oriental School, died 1885.

  • Maharaja Shri Sir Narendra Krishna Deb Bahadur (qv)

  • Raja Jadav Krishna Deb

• Raja GOPIMOHAN DEV Bahadur, 3rd Zamindar of Sovabazar 1823/1837, born 1763, he was adopted by his uncle in 1768; Founder director of Hindu Collage of the Dharma Sabha, a scholar in Farsi, he was famous for his musical taste; married and had issue. He died 1837.

  • Raja Sri Sir Radhakanta Dev Dev Bahadur (qv)

• Raja Sri Sir RADHAKANTA Dev Bahadur, 4th Zamindar of Sovabazar 1837/1867, born 1784, educated at the Calcutta Academy, an accomplished scholar, proficient in Bengali, Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic and to a lesser extant in English; publisher of an Encyclopedia in Sanskrit, named Shabda Kalpadruma, in 8 vols. 1822-1856; he helped establish the Calcutta Hindu College in 1817 and was an active director of the College for over thirty years, later he established a Sanskrit College at Sovabazar in 1857; Member of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of India since its establishment in 1818; President, British-Indian Association 1851/1867; he was conferred with the title of Raja Bahadur by the Governor General, Lord Auckland in 1824. He died 1867.

• Maharaja Sri Sir NARENDRA KRISHNA Dev Bahadur, 5th Zamindar of Sovabazar 1867/1903, born 10th October 1822, a Deputy Magistrate, member of the Victory Council, fellow of Calcutta University and commissioner of Calcutta, an avid music lover, he established the Bharatiya Sangeet Samaaj; he was conferred with the title of Raja in 1875, Maharaja in 1877, and Maharaja Bahadur in 1892, married and had issue. He died 1903.

  • generations

    • a son migrated to Mumbai in 1987; married K.N. Geetha, and had issue.

      • Shubha Narendra Dev

      • Lakshmi Narendra Dev

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• Raja Shri ALOK KRISHNA Dev Bahadur, Zamindar of Sovabazar (see above)