True Tribute Lies in Securing Land Rights, Says Pradyot
Aug 19, 2026
On the 118th birth anniversary of Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur on Wednesday, Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarman, a member of the erstwhile royal family of Tripura, said true tribute to the Maharaja lay not in floral offerings but in securing documented land rights for Tiprasa families for future generations.
In a message issued on the occasion, Pradyot said he could not step out due to a swollen foot, but extended his greetings to the people of Tripura on the occasion. Referring to floral tributes being paid to the Maharaja's statues and portraits across the state, he said people's reverence for the Maharaja was praiseworthy but questioned how far his vision had actually been realised.
He recalled the land protection law enacted in 1940 during Maharaja Bir Bikram's reign, stating it was meant to prevent transfer of Tiprasa land to non-tribals in protected areas and safeguard indigenous land rights. He said successive governments after independence introduced the Tripura Land Revenue framework, and the protected area envisioned by the Maharaja later became part of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council.
"If we truly wish to honour the Maharaja, we must fulfil his dream," he said, calling for documented land titles to be handed to Tiprasa families and passed on to future generations.
He also pointed to difficulties in issuing land pattas or title documents in Sixth Schedule areas, and said ensuring no poor Tiprasa family remained landless was among the Maharaja's key aspirations. Citing stronger tribal land protections in Mizoram, Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland, he called for a united Tripura that safeguards Tiprasa rights, urging people to remember the Maharaja's ideals and dreams alongside his legacy.
