Sonepur, also known as Sonpur State,[1] was one of the princely states of India during the period of the British Raj. Its ruler was entitled to a nine-gun salute.[2] Formerly it was placed under the Central India Agency, but in 1905 it was transferred to the Eastern States Agency.[3] Its capital was Sonepur, the only significant town in the area. The former state's territory is in the present-day Subarnapur district, Odisha.
| Sonepur State Sonpur State | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princely State of British India | |||||||
| 1650–1948 | |||||||
 Coat of arms | |||||||
 Sonepur State in the Imperial Gazetteer of India | |||||||
| Capital | Subarnapur | ||||||
| Area | |||||||
• 1901 | 2,347 km2 (906 sq mi) | ||||||
| Population | |||||||
• 1901 | 169,877 | ||||||
| History | |||||||
• Established | 1650 | ||||||
| 1948 | |||||||
| |||||||
History
The Sonepur state was founded in 1650 when the fourth Chauhan ruler of Sambalpur Madhukar Dev, conquered the region from the Bhanja rulers of Boudh and entrusted it to his younger son Madan Gopal who hence became the founder of the Chauhan dynasty branch of Sonepur.[4][5]
The state came under the control of the British Empire post the Maratha defeat and later king Niladhar Singh Deo was awarded titles for services rendered to the British during the Sambalpur uprising.[6]
After Indian independence, Sonepur's last ruler acceded to the newly independent Dominion of India, on 1 January 1948 with the state forming much of the present-day Subarnapur district.
Rulers
Ruling Chiefs of Sonepur
| Name | Date of birth | Reign began | Reign ended | Date of death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madan Gopal Singh Deo | 1650 | 1680 | ||
| Lal Sai Singh Deo | 1680 | 1689 | ||
| Purusottam Singh Deo | 1689 | 1709 | ||
| Raj Singh Deo | 1709 | 1729 | ||
| Achal Singh Deo | 1729 | 1749 | ||
| Divya Singh Deo | 1749 | 1766 | ||
| Jarawar Singh Deo | 1766 | 1767 | ||
| Sobha Singh Deo | 1767 | 1781 | ||
| Prithvi Singh Deo | 1781 | 1841 | ||
| Niladhar Singh Deo | 1838 | 27 July 1841 | 9 September 1891 | |
| Pratap Rudra Singh Deo | 22 July 1853 | 9 September 1891 | 8 August 1902 | |
| Bir Mitrodaya Singh Deo | 8 July 1874 | 8 August 1902 | 29 April 1937 | |
| Sudhansu Shekhar Singh Deo | 23 August 1899 | 29 April 1937 | 10 August 1963 | |
Titular
| Name | Date of birth | Reign began | Reign ended | Date of death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bir Pratap Singh Deo | 31 July 1923 | 10 August 1963 | 28th December 1971 (deposed) | 24 November 1972 |
| Prithvi Bir Singh Deo | 24 November 1972 |