Sandur State

Sandur State was a princely state of India during the British Raj, part of the Madras States Agency.^[2] The ruling dynasty of the state was the Ghorpade clan of the Marathas. Its capital was the town of Sanduru.^[3] The last ruler, Raja Yeshwantrao Ghorpade, signed the Instrument of Accession to the Dominion of India on 10 August 1947.

Sandur State ಸಂಡೂರು ಸಂಸ್ಥಾನ
Princely State of British India
1713–1948
Flag Coat of arms
Sandur State on the Map of the Madras Presidency, 1913
Capital	Sanduru
Area
• 1901	433 km2 (167 sq mi)
Population
• 1901	11,200[1]
History
• Established	1713
• Independence of India	1948
Preceded by Succeeded by Maratha Empire India
Today part of	Karnataka, India
Official language: Kannada

Sandur State covered an area of 433 km² (167 sq mi); according to the 1901 Census, the population of the state was 11,200.^[1] Sandur State enjoyed an estimated annual revenue of £6,000 in 1901.

History

The former princely state of Sandur was founded in 1713 by Sidhoji Ghorpade, a Maratha general. He was the son of Bahirji Ghorpade and the nephew of the prominent Maratha commander Santaji Ghorpade. From 1710 to 1713, Sidhoji served as Senapati to Maharani Tarabai, the Maratha regent. In 1713, following a political rift with Tarabai, he severed ties with her and began asserting his independence. That same year, he successfully conquered Sandur and established it as an autonomous principality under his rule. He later served as Senapati to Sambhaji II of Kolhapur, a position he held until his death in 1731.

From 1731 until the accession to India, the Sandur state was ruled by Maratha Ghorpade royals.^[4] In 1776 – 1790 its territory was captured by Hyder Ali. Between 27 October 1817 and 1 July 1818 Sandur was again annexed to the Maratha Empire Peshwa's Dominions. In 1801, Bellary district was transferred to British India, and the Rajas of Sandur came under the political authority of the Madras Presidency. On 1 July 1818 Sandur formally became a British protectorate.^[5]

Sandur state was later incorporated into Bellary district, then part of the Madras Presidency. In 1953, Bellary District was transferred to Mysore State, which was later renamed Karnataka.

The instrument of accession to the Dominion of India was signed by Yeshwantrao Ghorpade on 10 August 1947, thereby merging Sandur State with the Madras Presidency in 1949. After formation of states on linguistic basis, Sandur was transferred to the Mysore State in 1956. Raja Yeshwantrao continued playing an influential and active role in public life, till his death in 1996. He was succeeded by is son, M. Y. Ghorpade as the titular Raja. M. Y. Ghorpade served as a state Minister for Finance, Rural Development & Panchayats, Member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Member of Parliament the Indian Parliament (Lok Shabha).^{[citation needed]}

Royal insignia

Arms

A fess, argent, thereon a "ghorpad" (monitor lizard) fesswise, proper; in the base, pink, a cannon, proper; in the chief, pink, a "Shiv Linga" vert, between two tower or. Helmet: with visor, all or. Crest: A "Chhatra" (parasol) on a wreath, all or. Supporters: Elephants with raised trunks, dexter, the rear left foot, and sinister, the front feet on the compartment, all proper. Motto: "Hindurao" in Marathi, azure on a pink riband. Compartment: Vines and creepers proper. Lambrequins: Argent and azure.

Royal standard

Rectangular 4x7, swallow-tailed, saffron in colour, with a white strip at the hoist. Near the hoist, in the centre - a golden sun in splendour of saffron rays having a "Ghoo" in centre with natural colouring, under a saffron "Chhatra" of having bistre spots.^{[citation needed]}

Royal Titulature

Role	Royal Title
The Ruling Prince	Shrimant Maharaj Shri (personal name) (alias) (father's name) Ghorpade, Hindurao, Mamlukatmadar Senapati, Raja of Sandur
The Consort of the Ruling Prince	Shrimant Akhand Soubhagyavati Rani (personal name) Ghorpade, Rani Sahib of Sandur
The Heir Apparent	Yuvraj Shrimant Shri (personal name) (alias) (father's name) Ghorpade, Yuvraj Sahib of Sandur
The sons of the ruling prince	Rajkumar Shrimant (personal name) (alias) (father's name) Raje Sahib Ghorpade
The unmarried daughters of the ruling prince	Rajkumari Shrimant (personal name) Raje Sahib Ghorpade
The married daughters of the ruling prince	Shrimant Akhand Soubhagyavati (personal name) Raje (husband's family name)

^{[citation needed]}

Rulers

Prince of Sandur with attendants. c. 1880

The male line has failed several times, necessitating adoptions from junior branches of the family. The right to adopt an heir and successor was confirmed by a British sanad of adoption in 1862.

• 1713 – 1731 Sidhoji I (b. 1683 – d. 1731)
• 1731 – 15 March 1776 Murari Rao (b. 1699 – d. 1779)
• 1790 – 1796 Sidhoji II (b. 1783 – d. 1796)
• 1796 – 27 Oct 1817 Shivarao II (1st time) (d. 1840; cfr. below)
• 27 Oct 1817 – 1 July 1818 annexed to the Maratha Peshwa's Dominions
• 1 July 1818 – 2 May 1840 Shiva Rao II (2nd time) (s.a.)
• 2 May 1840 – 1861 Venkata Rao II
• 1861 – 1878 Shivashanmukha Rao
• 3 May 1878 – 3 Dec 1892 Ramachandra Vitthala Rao
• 3 Dec 1892 – 24 Jul 1927 Venkata Rao III
• 5 May 1928 – 15 Aug 1947 Yeshwantrao Ghorpade

Diwans

• J. G. Firth (1885-1897)
• T. Kodandarama Nayudu (1897-1914)
• A. Subbaraya Mudaliar
• T. Ramachandra Iyer

See also

• Maratha
• Maratha Empire
• List of Maratha dynasties and states
• List of Indian princely states