Description
The book delves into the historical backdrop before the Maharaja of Patiala’s Chancellorship in the Chamber of Princes. It underscores the importance of the 1913 and 1914 Conferences under Lord Hardinge, fostering collective organization among Princes. Annual meetings, in line with British interests, saw the Maharaja’s influential role from 1918, shaping discussions on constitutional reforms and State relations with India. Princes’ perspectives converged in a memorandum, crafting a draft scheme. It unveiled key determinations, Chamber operations, the Chancellor’s role, Princes’ stance on nationalism, constitutional shifts, and strategies for safeguarding the States. The Maharaja’s Chancellorship marked a pivotal era in relations with smaller States, particularly those excluded from the Chamber, prompting skepticism and distrust. His initial term coincided with the movement for immediate Dominion Status in India, gaining urgency with the Simon Commission’s appointment in 1926.
