PRESENT RULER: Raja RAJENDRA CHANDRA DEB Birabara Harichandan Mahapatra, 25th Raja Saheb of Talcher

born April 1952, married Rani Saheba Puspa Devi, daughter of Raja Vijai Chandra Bhanj Deo of Bastar, and his wife, Maharani Hitendra Kumari, daughter of Thakur Saheb Surendrasinhji Karansinhji of Sayla, and has had issue, two sons and one daughter.

• Yuvaraj Vijayendra Chandra Deb, born 1981.

• Pattayet Shailendra Chandra Deb

• Kumari Sudeshna Devi, died around 1991, aged four years.

PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: Predecessor state founded in the 12th century, when four brothers of the Jaipur Rana Thakur family, went to Puri on pilgrimage, and in a confrontation, two brothers were killed, and the other two fled to Bhimanagari, where the elder of them became Raja and ruled till his death, while the younger, Udaykar Singh, became the first Raja of Bonai. Rulers include.....

• Raja NARAHARI SINGH, 1st Raja of Bhimanagari 1471/1480, became the ruler in Bhimanagari; married and had issue.

  • Raja Tej Bhanu Singh (qv)

• Raja TEJ BHANU SINGH, Raja of Bhimanagari 1480/-, he conquered Subalaya and Parjang; married and had issue.

  • Raja Govind Charan Routrai (qv)

• Raja GOVIND CHARAN ROUTRAI, Raja of Bhimanagari, the Gajapati king was pleased with his valour and bestowed on him the title of Birabara Harichandan.

• five generations

• Raja PADMANABHA Birabara Harichandan, 9th Raja of Bhimanagari 1575/1598, he left Subalaya after his defeat by the Raja of Dhenkanal, crossed the Brahmani River and fought a battle with the zamindar of Remwah; he was victorious and renamed that state as Talcher after the name of the family Goddess, Taleswari. He is remembered as a pious ruler and is said to have constructed many temples in his state. He died 1598 aged 48.

• Raja CHAKRADHAR Birabar Harichandan, 10th Raja of Talcher 1598/1651, married and had issue.

  • Raja Gopinath Birabara Harichandan (qv)

• Raja GOPINATH Birabar Harichandan, 11th Raja of Talcher 1651/1711

• Raja RAMACHANDRA Birabar Harichandan, 12th Raja of Talcher 1711/1729, and owing to his generosity and liberal administration he was being compared by his people with Ramachandra of epic fame, married and had issue. He died 1729 aged 72.

  • Raja Pitambar Birabara Harichandan (qv)

• Raja PITAMBAR Birabara Harichandan, 13th Raja of Talcher 1729/1740, noted for his various works of public utility. He died in 1740.

• Raja (name unknown) Birabara Harichandan, 14th Raja of Talcher 1740/1752,

• Raja KRISHNA CHANDRA Birabar Harichandan, 15th Raja of Talcher 1752/-, signed a treaty with the Marathas, acknowledging their overlordship and agreeing to pay an annual tribute of 1,000Rs.

• Raja (name unknown) Birabara Harichandan, 16th Raja of Talcher -/1766

• Raja RAMACHANDRA MANSINGH [Ayadi] Birabar Harichandan, 17th Raja of Talcher 1766/1774, during his rule, Talcher was visited by two famines which caused a heavy toll of human life. He died sp 1774 aged 32.

• Raja NIMAICHARAN CHAMPATI SINGH Birabar Harichandan, 18th Raja of Talcher 1774/1778

• Raja BHAGIRATH Dev Birabar Harichandan, 19th Raja of Talcher 1778/1846, he succeeded by adoption; he signed a treaty with the British in 1803. He died 1846.

• Raja DAYANIDHI Dev Birabar Harichandan Mahapatra, 20th Raja Saheb of Talcher 1846/1873, born 1801, devoted most of his time to the study of scriptures and religious books. He helped the British Government in their occupation of Angul and earned from the Government the title of Mahindra Bahadur, as well as the gift of a khillat and an elephant; married and had issue. He died 1873 aged 72.

  • Raja Ram Chandra Dev Birabar Harichandan Mahapatra (qv)

• Raja RAM CHANDRA Dev Birabar Harichandan Mahapatra, 21st Raja Saheb of Talcher 1873/1891, born 22nd December 1856, succeeded 1873^(#1). This ruler was fond of Sanskrit culture and his court was adorned by many Sanskrit Pandits. He was also interested in history and geography and compiled a small book on History of India entitled ‘Bharatara Sankhipta Itihasa’ which was prescribed as a text-book in the middle Vernacular classes of Orissa. Being an enlightened ruler, he established Courts of Judicature, Accounts Section, Tauzi, Nizarat, Police Station, Jails etc and insisted on regular maintenance of records as well as observance of official rules. He started the work of land settlement in 1898. He also established Departmentas of Public Works, Health, Education, Excise, and Forests. He encouraged Local Self-Government and set up a Municipality to look after the health and sanitation of Talcher Town. In 1887 he constructed the Victoria Hall, Circuit House in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee Celebration of Queen Victoria, married and had issue. He died 18th December 1891.

  • Raja Kishor Chandra Dev Birabar Harichandan Mahapatra (qv)

• Raja KISHOR CHANDRA Dev Birabar Harichandan Mahapatra, 22nd Raja Saheb of Talcher 1891/1945, born 9th June 1880 and succeeded 18th December 1891, invested with full ruling powers on 9th June 1901, educated at Ravenshaw College, Cuttack. He was proficient in the art of music, both vocal and instrumental. He was a generous ruler. When famine occurred in 1911,he distributed paddy to the needy people from State Granary and encouraged the rich to help the famine stricken people. The George Hospital at Talcher was established by him in 1912 in commemoration of the Delhi Durbar. He established a High English School in 1915, which is said to be the 7th High School in the then Orissa, besides establishing one Girls’ Middle School, Elementary Training School and many other schools in his state. He introduced the legislative system and established a legislative body called Byabastha Parishad. Half of the members of this body were elected by village headmen and half nominated by the ruler. He set up a council and nominated 3 councilors to run the administration of the State. The ruler himself was the President of the council and the 3 councillors were Dewan Bahadur Pramod Chandra Deb (Vice-President), Babu Jagan Mohan Mishra and Babu Braja Bihari Mohanty. There was separation of the judiciary from the executive. Kishore Chandra established a special court (Dharmadhikya Court) to dispose of cases relating to religious matters. The chief priest Pandit Kapileswar Pattjoshi was in charge of this court. He introduced municipal system in Talcher town and Panchayat system in every village. He beautified the town by erecting many gates and laying out a pleasure garden known as ‘Rani Park’ covering an area of 5 sq.miles. This was a natural zoo. He remodeled the palace and made it double storied. At Talcher, a special Post and Telegraph office was established. During his rule, the railway line was constructed from Cuttack to Talcher coal mines (1925), which paved the way for economic development of this region. He gave leases to Villiers Ltd, and to Railways for extraction of coal. He had electricity generated from thermal power at Talcher and supplied electricity to the palace and Talcher town in 1924. He started an orphanage in his State. Raja Kishore Chandra was an enlightened ruler. He was also a writer in Oriya. He established a machine press at Talcher. He presided over the Utkal Sammilani in its Balasore session (1905) and was for sometime President of Rajkumar College, Raipur; he married the fourth daughter of Raja Basudeb Sudhal Deb of Bamra, and had issue, two sons and one daughter. He died 7th November 1945.

  • Rajkumari Sucharumali Devi [Rani Sucharumali Devi of Kurupam], born 10th December 1900, married Sri Raja Vyricharla Narasimha Suryanarayana Raju Bahadur Garu of Kurupam.

  • Raja Hrudaya Chandra Dev Birabar Harichandan Mahapatra (qv)

  • Dewan Bahadur Pramod Chandra Deb, born 12th September 1903, married the daughter of Bada Kumar Saheb of Bamra and had issue, two sons and one daughter. He died after 1961.

    • Kumar Prabodh Chandra Deb (+), adopted by the two Ranis of Raja Dasarathi Dhir Birabar of Balarampur in 1938, and succeeded there as Raja Prabodh Chandra Dhir Deb of Balarampur.

    • Kumar Pradyut Chandra Deb (+), married Rajkumari Dolendra Manjari Devi (+) of Pallahara, and had issue, two sons and five daughters

      • Kumari Rashmi Devi, married Kumar Prabir Kumar Das of Chandeli in Chattisgarh, a senior Police Officer with the Chattisgarh Government, and has issue, one son and one daughter.

      • Rani Dipti Devi, maried to the Raja Saheb of Madhupur, District Cuttack, Orissa, died 14th December 2007 in Kolkata, and has issue, two daughters

        • Rajkumari Aparna Devi, married.

        • Rajkumari Anusuya Devi

      • Rani Kanti Devi, married Raja Ashok Narendra Dev of Mohuri, District Ganjam, Orissa, and has issue, two sons.

        • Yuvraj Tribuban Patta Deo

        • Rakumar Ranveer Deo

      • Kumari Trupti Devi, married Kumar Bir Bijoy Gang Dev of Bamra, and has issue, one daughter and one son.

      • Kumari Priti Devi married to Kumar Dhananjay Saincher, and has issue, two daughters.

      • Kumar Akhil Chandra Deb, married Kumari Kavita Devi of Latma, and has issue, one son.

        • Kumar Pramod Chandra Deb

      • Kumar Sarat Chandra Deb, married Kumari Jaishree Devi of Gumla, and has issue, one son and one daughter.

        • Kumar Ayush Chandra Deb

        • Kumari Akansha Devi

    • Rani Vyricharla Sobhalata Devi, married Sri Raja Vyricharla Durga Prasad Deo Raju Bahadur Garu of Kurupam, and has issue.

• Raja HRUDAYA CHANDRA Dev Birabar Harichandan Mahapatra, 23rd Raja Saheb of Talcher 1945/1970, born 27th February 1902, educated at Ravenshaw College, Cuttack, where he graduated, apointed a Sessions Judge; married 27th April 1923, Rani Sucharumali Devi, the second daughter of Sri Sri Sri Raja Kishore Chandra Singh Deo of Bodogodo (Ganjam), and had issue, eleven sons and one daughter. He died 11th September 1970.

  • Raja Soubhagya Chandra Dev Birabar Harichandan Mahapatra (qv)

  • Kumar Prasanna Chandra Deb [later Raja Prasanna Chandra Deo of Jarada], he was adopted by Raja Kishore Chandra Samantara of Jarada in Ganjam District, Orissa and succeeded there in 1936.

  • Rajkumari Suruchimali Devi (+), unmarried.

  • Rajkumar Routrai Saheb Ahlad Chandra Deb (+), married Rajkumari Brajeshwari Devi of San Khemundi, and had issue, two daughters.

    • Kumari Snigdha Devi, married in Koraput District of Orissa, and has issue, two sons.

      • Kumar Lalatendu Pratap Deo

      • Kumar Souryaveer Pratap Deo (Alok)

    • Kumari Smita Devi

  • Rajkumar Subash Chandra Deb, died young aged four months.

  • Rajkumar Pratap Chandra Deb (+), married Rajkumari Indira Devi, daughter of Raja Govind Chandra Deb of Tekkali, Senior Branch, and had issue, two sons and one daughter.

    • Kumar Chkaraprakash Chandra Deb (+), married Kumar Rani Ranjana Devi of Maheshmanu, Gumla, and had issue, one daughter and one son.

      • Kumari Aishwarya Devi

      • Kumar Hrudoya Chandra Deb

    • Kumar Martanda Mandan Chandra Deb, adopted to Athmalik, presently working in Gurgaon, Haryana.

    • Kumari Kalpalatika Devi, married to Kumar Sur Vikram Singh Deo of Nua Pacca, Seraikella, and has issue, one son and one daughter.

  • Rajkumar Nrupendra Chandra Deb (+), unmaried.

  • Rajkumar Purnendu Chandra Deb (+), unmaried.

  • Rajkumar Gourab Chandra Deo, unmarried.

  • Rajkumar Bibek Chandra Deo, unmarried.

  • Rajkumar Deeptendra Chandra Deb (+), married Rajkumari Annapurna Devi of Bodokhemundi, and had issue.

    • Kumar Debashish Chandra Deb

    • Kumari Trupti Devi

  • Rajkumar Bhupendra Chandra Deo, a retired Judge, married Rajkumari Anusuya Rajkakshmi Devi, daughter of Raja Krishna Chandra Singh Mandhata of Nayagarh, and his second wife, and has issue, one son and one daughter.

    • Kumar Kaustava Chandra Deb, married Kumar Rani Rajeshwari Devi, daughter of Kumar Saheb Amarendra Kishore Singh of Nayagarh.

    • Kumari Manoswini Sobhalakshmi Devi

• Raja SOUBHAGYA CHANDRA Dev Birabar Harichandan Mahapatra, 24th Raja Saheb of Talcher 1970/-, married Rani Manjushree Devi, died 14th March 2008 aged 76, cremated in the Holy Town of Puri on the following day, daughter of Tikayat Nrupendra Narayan Singh Deo of Seraikella, and his wife, Tikayet Rani Kusum Manjari Devi, and had issue, two sons and two daughters.

  • Raja Rajendra Chandra Deb Birabara Harichandan Mahapatra (qv)

  • Rani Surokalolini Devi [now Rajmata Surokalolini Devi of Baudh], born 1954, married Raja Nabin Chandra Deb of Baudh, and has issue, one son and one daughter.

  • Pattayet Pushpendra Chandra Deb, born 1964, married Pattayet Rani Trupti Devi, daughter of the Thakur Saheb of Budwa in Rewa, and has issue, two daughters.

    • Kumari Aditi Devi

    • Kumari Damini Devi

  • Rajkumari Meenakshi Devi, born 1969, married Kunwar Udit Singh Chauhan. (Johannesburg , South Africa)

• Raja RAJENDRA CHANDRA DEB Birabara Harichandan Mahapatra, 25th Raja Saheb of Talcher (see above)