Sunity Devee

Suniti Devi

Ranchi, India

1887, 1902, 1906, 1910–11, 1913, 1920–1

Born in 1864, Sunity Devee was the daughter of the Brahmo Samaj reformer Keshub Chunder Sen. The second of ten children, Sunity was educated at a school for girls in Calcutta. In March 1878, at the age of 13, Sunity Devee was married to the Maharaja of Cooch Behar (an act that created a great deal of controversy, especially for her father). The Maharaja immediately went to England after their marriage and returned in February 1879, after which the couple lived together.

In 1887, by which time Sunity Devee had already had three children, the family sailed to England for the Jubilee. They were accompanied by Sunity's two brothers, Nirmal and Profulla. Nirmal Sen later worked in the India Office in London for the welfare of Indian students. During this visit, the couple met the Queen on a number of occasions and socialized with other members of the Royal Family. Queen Victoria was godmother to their fourth child, Victor.

In May 1894 their eldest son, Rajey, went to England at the age of 12 to be educated at Mr Carter's Preparatory School at Farnborough. He then went on to Eton and Oxford. His three younger brothers later followed him to Farnborough and Eton. Their three daughters all went to England as well. The two youngest were educated at Ravens Croft School in Eastbourne. These princesses, Prativa and Sudhira, married Lionel and Alan Mander in 1912 and 1914 respectively. Prativa and Lionel's marriage ended in an acrimonious divorce, which was reported in The Times in 1921 and 1922. The Maharaja and Maharani often travelled to England. They were in England when Sunity Devee's husband fell ill and died on 18 September 1911. He was cremated at Golders Green.