Prag Narain Bhargava

“ I have watched with sympathy the measures that from time to time have been taken by the Universities of India to extend the scope and raise the standards of instruction. Much remains to be done. No University is now-a-days complete unless it is equipped with teaching faculties in all the more important branches of the sciences and the arts, and unless it provides ample opportunities for research. You have to conserve the ancient learning and simultaneously to push forward Western science. You have also to build up character, without which learning is of little value. ”

“ The cordial welcome which we received on our arrival in your Capital was the prelude to that display of warm hearted loyalty which has characterized every stage of our progress during the past five weeks. And now we have listened with mingled feelings of gratification and sorrow to your touching words of farewell and God-speed, and your hopeful forecast as to the benefits which India will derive from this visit deepens our thankfulness at having accomplished the earnest wish of our hearts. ”

“ It is a matter of intense satisfaction to me to realize how-all classes and creeds have joined together in the true-hearted welcome which has been so universally accorded to us. Is it not possible that the same unity and concord may for the future govern the daily relations of their private and public life? The attainment of this would indeed be to us a happy outcome of our visit to India. ”

“ I recall with pleasure the occasion on which, six years ago, I received from the University of Calcutta the Honorary Degree of a Doctor of Law, and I am glad to have an opportunity to-day of showing my deep and earnest interest in the higher education of India. It is to the Universities of India that I look to assist in that gradual union and fusion of the culture and aspiration of Europeans and Indians on which the future well-being of India so greatly depends. ”

“ To you, the representatives of Bombay, who have greeted us so warmly on our arrival and departure, I deliver this our message of loving farewell to the Indian Empire. May the Almighty ever assist me and my successors in the earnest endeavour to promote its welfare and to secure to it the blessings of prosperity and peace. ”

“ The changes in the administration of India, resulting from the announcement made by me at the great Durbar at Delhi, will affect to a certain extent Calcutta. But your city must always remain the premier city of India. Its population, its importance as a commercial centre and great emporium of trade, its splendid historic traditions, all combine to invest Calcutta with an unique character which should preserve to it a pre-eminent position. ”

“ The pages of history have set forth what splendid influences for good can be brought to bear in their homes by the women of India, and the annals of its noble races are coloured by acts of devoted fealty and magnificent service as the fruits of the lessons instilled by mothers in the hearts and minds of their children. ”

“ By my presence with the Queen-Empress I am also anxious to show our affection for the loyal Princes and faithful Peoples of India, and how dear to our hearts is the welfare and happiness of the Indian Empire. ”

“ It has given me infinite pleasure to be once more among my faithful subjects in India, and the Queen-Empress and I have been touched beyond words by the genuine love and devotion towards us which we feel have entered into the spirit of the people. ”

“ This was on behalf of the Supreme Legislative Council. His Majesty replied as follows:
"In the name of the Queen-Empress and on my own behalf I heartily thank you for your loyal and dutiful Address, the words of which have deeply touched us.
"They recall those countless messages of affectionate devotion which India, in common with all parts of my Dominions, greeted us on our Coronation in England, and which have been repeated by all classes and creeds of my Indian subjects since our arrival in your country. ”

“ I rejoice to think that this statue will stand a noble monument on a beautiful and historic site to remind generations yet unborn of your loyal affection and of his sympathy and trust, sentiments which, please God, always will be traditional between India and the members of my House. ”

“ I know that you cherish ambitions that India will one day become a great manufacturing as well as an agricultural country. I have watched with keen interest the progress of your business enterprise, and the success which has attended your commercial energy will affect more and more the youth of this country to regard commerce as a distinguished and honourable profession. ”

“ The most gratifying reception which "Who's Who in India" met with fully assured me that, in undertaking the immense task of compiling a record of the Princes, Native Chiefs, Title-holders and Eminent Men of India, I was fully justified. ”

“ Sir Ibrahim is an ardent supporter of primary education. In order to improve the attendance at schools of Mohammadan boys and girls he approached the Government on the subject of introducing the reading of the Koran in schools. The reply of Government was sympathetic, but Sir Ibrahim had to face strong opposition in the Corporation; his object was, however, secured by a narrow majority. Sir Ibrahim is a member of the Managing Committee of the Anjuman-i-Islam, and President of the M. J. Khoja Reading-Room and Library. His work on the Improvement Trust of Bombay is well known. ”

“ Early in September, 1857, the combined insurgent forces of Indore and Gwalior entered the Dholpur State. Most of the Rana's troops and officials joined the rebels, who ravaged the district, defied the Chief's authority, and even threatened his life until he consented to their demands. At length they left Dholpur, taking with them the Rana's guns, and set out for Agra; but Dholpur remained in a state of anarchv, and the Chief was unable to restore order till, with the consent of the North-West and Punjab authorities, the Maharaja of Patiala sent there a force of two thousand men and two guns. ”

“ Their Majesties drove in an open state carriage, and were escorted by a British Cavalry Regiment, a Battery of Royal Horse Artillery, the Imperial Cadet Corps and an Indian Cavalry Regiment, and were attended by His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief and Staff, and preceded by the Herald and Assistant Herald. As the royal procession entered the Fort, a salute of 101 guns was fired. The assembled populace cheered most heartily, and the enthusiasm was remarkably spontaneous. ”

“ Furthermore His Imperial Majesty has been graciously pleased to ordain that from henceforth the loyal Native officers, men and reservists of his Indian Army shall be eligible for the grant of the Victoria Cross for valour : the membership of the Order of British India shall be increased during the decade following His Imperial Majesty's Coronation Durbar by fifty-two appointments in the first class, and that in mark of these historic ceremonies fifteen new appointments in the first class and nineteen new appointments in the second class shall forthwith be made. ”

“ And Whereas, by Our Royal Proclamation bearing date the twenty-second day of March, in the year of Our Lord one thousand nine hundred and eleven, in the first year of Our Reign, we did declare that it was Our wish and desire Ourselves to make known to all Our loving subjects within Our Indian Dominions that the said Solemnity had been so celebrated, and to call to Our Presence, Our Governors, Lieutenant-Governors, and other of Our Officers, the Princes, Chiefs, and Nobles of the Native States under Our Protection, and the representatives of the Provinces of Our Indian Empire ”

“ He is a descendant of Saiyid Masud, who was granted the title of Malik-ul-Saadat by the Emperor Tughlak, in whose reign the old city of Ghazipur was conquered. Saiyid Masud founded a new city of Ghazipur, and from that time members of the family have been residing at Naunahra, in that district. A mosque still stands there which was built 300 years ago by his ancestors. Many members of the family have held responsible posts under Government. During the Mutiny, Maulvi Saiyid Imdad, father of Saiyid Ali Naqi, was Tahsildar at Ghazipur, and by his strenuous efforts saved the Government Treasury. ”

“ The Raja is the representative of the descendants of Raja Karamullah Khan, of the Kashmir family who were Rajas of Rajauri. The last ruling chief was Rahim-ullah Khan, who died in 1847. The possessions of the family came under the dominion of the Sikh chief, Gulab Singh, and the family migrated to Rehlu, in the Punjab, where they have become important. The family were originally Hindus, and their descent may be traced from Raja Jir Rao, a Jhiral Rajput of the stock of the Mahabharat Pandars. ”

“ For the war in South Africa the Maharaja sent a large number of trained remounts for the British cavalry; in fact, for over a century, whenever occasion has arisen, the Patiala State has always been ready to place all its troops and resources at the disposal of the British Government, and has thus earned a well merited name for conspicuous loyalty. ”

“ He belongs to a family well known in Rajputana for their administrative abilities. He commenced life by serving as head clerk in the Commissariat Department at Asirgarh, which post he relinquished in 1882. In 1897 he was engaged in famine work at Barwani, Central India. After the famine he worked successively in the Public Works, Audit, General and finally the Forest Department of that State. He carried out succesfully a scheme during the famine of 1899-1900 by which, after serving all the cattle locally with grass, the Durbar met the demands of surrounding States and part of Gujerat. ”

“ The wondrous aspect disclosed by the approach to your shores, the first glimpse of the palms rising as it were from the bosom of the sea, have not been forgotten, and have lost none of their fascination for me. ”

“ Although Dholpur was tranquillized, the neighbouring States, particularly Gwalior, were in so disturbed a condition that the Patiala troops were directed to remain at Dholpur. Maharaja Jiaji Rao Sindhia, attended by his Minister, Sir Dinkar Rao, and three or four Sardars, fled to Dholpur on 2nd June, and were supplied with an escort of Patiala troops till they reached Agra. A British force then marched against the rebel army at Gwalior, and the Patiala forces were increased by every available man. ”

“ And it is my wish, too, that the homes of my Indian subjects may be brightened and their labour sweetened by the spread of knowledge, with what follows in its train, a higher level of thought, of comfort, and of health. ”

“ Mohabat Khan, Nawab Haji, Khan Bahadur, Khan of Toru, Honorary Magistrate, was born early in the nineteenth century and was educated at home. His father, Khan Abdul Kadir Khan, rendered conspicuous service to Government during the Sikh Wars, in which a number of his sowars accompanied the British Army into the held. During the Mutiny he prevented the rebel sepoys of Mardan from joining the mutineers. He held jurisdiction over the area now included in the Mardan Sub-division. The Nawab himself accompanied the Waziristan Expedition. ”

“ Ray, Maharaja, Kshaunish Chandra, of Krishnagar, Nuddea, belongs to the Nuddea Raj family, and is the only son of the late Maharaja Bahadur Kshitish Chandra Ray. He was born at Krishnagar on 29th October, 1890, and educated at home. The family trace their descent from Bhuttanarayan, a Kanauj chief, who founded a principality near Vikrampur, in Eastern Bengal. The first descendant of importance of this chief was Bhabanundo Majumdar, who is said to have founded the Nuddea Raj. ”