Maharani of Cooch Behar · British Raj
Suniti Devi
Maharani Suniti Devi (1864–1932) was the Maharani of Cooch Behar, an educator, social reformer, women's rights advocate, and author. The daughter of Brahmo Samaj reformer Keshub Chandra Sen, she married Maharaja Nripendra Narayan in 1878 and became an influential figure in education and women's welfare. She was also a pioneering Indian woman writer whose autobiography, *The Autobiography of an Indian Princess*, was published in 1921.
Wikimedia CommonsSelected bibliography
| Year | Work |
|---|---|
| 1916 | Bengal Dacoits and Tigers |
| 1919 | Nine Ideal Indian Women |
| 1921 | The autobiography of an Indian princess |
Biography
Suniti Devi was born on September 30, 1864, in Calcutta, British India, to Keshub Chandra Sen, a prominent Brahmo Samaj reformer, and Jaganmohini Devi. She grew up in a socially and intellectually active family influenced by the Brahmo reform movement.
In 1878, at a young age, Suniti Devi married Maharaja Nripendra Narayan of Cooch Behar. Her marriage became a notable event in the history of the Brahmo Samaj and generated controversy because of her age. Nripendra Narayan subsequently became an important modernizing ruler of Cooch Behar, while Suniti Devi developed her own interests in education, social work, and women's advancement.
Education was one of Suniti Devi's major areas of public work. She played an important role in the development of the girls' school established in her name, later known as Suniti Academy in Cooch Behar. She supported the school financially, helped successful students, and promoted access to education for girls. She and her sister Sucharu Devi also helped establish Maharani Girls' High School in Darjeeling in 1908.
Suniti Devi was also involved in women's organizations and social reform. In 1932, she became the first president of the All Bengal Women's Union, working alongside other prominent women's rights advocates of Bengal. Her public activities reflected her continuing interest in women's education and social advancement.
She was also a writer. Her books included Bengal Dacoits and Tigers (1916), The Beautiful Mogul Princesses (1918), Nine Ideal Indian Women (1919), The Autobiography of an Indian Princess (1921), and Indian Fairy Tales (1923). Her autobiography provides an important first-person account of her family, marriage, life in Cooch Behar, travels, and experiences of Indian royalty during the British period.
In 1887, Suniti Devi became the first Indian woman to receive the Companion of the Order of the Crown of India (C.I.). She later travelled to Britain on several occasions and attended major royal and imperial events, including Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
Suniti Devi died on November 10, 1932, in Ranchi. Her legacy remains associated with women's education, social reform, literature, and the cultural history of Cooch Behar.
Did you know?
Did you know that Suniti Devi wrote an autobiography titled *The Autobiography of an Indian Princess*, first published in London in 1921? The book offers a rare first-person account of the life of an Indian princess and the Cooch Behar royal household.