Sir Sukhdeo Prasad Kak.
C.I.E.,Rai Bahadur.,Kaisar-e-Hind.
( A Brief Biography.
Published in The New Delhi Weekly,Kashur
Gazette.,16-24 August,2001.)
The Kashmiri Pandits who came out from the Kashmir Valley in the beginning of the 19th century
in search of better job opportunities just to improve the standard of living of their family members mostly got settled
in the big cities of north India, Some of them later on migrated to the princely states and got good jobs in various
darbars. They did commendable work in various fields there and won the love and affection of the local population, because
of their honesty, integrity and total commitment to certain basic values of life. They gave due regard to human dignity and
worked ceaselessly against human exploitation which was very common in those days especially in the princely states where
the word of the ruler was considered to be the final word of law with a divine authority which nobody could challenge any
where as the proper judicial system was not in existence to deal with the legal matters effectively and systematically. Every
princely state used to have its own system of governance used to depend mostly on the whims and fancies of its ruler.
Although quite a good number of Kashmiri Pandit became a Dewan of different princely states
of north and central India because of their administrative acumen and they also occupied other top positions in the administrative
hierarchy due to their foresight and secular outlook but Sir Sukhdeo Prasad Kak was the first Kashmiri Pandit to become the
Prime Minister of the Jodhpur State in the erstwhile Rajputana and won laurels for his outstanding contributions in different
fields for the over all progress and development of this state in the Marwar region.
Sir Sukhdeo Prasad Kaks ancestors were originally the residents of Kulgaon tehsil of Anantnag
district in the Kashmir Valley. His grandfather Pandit Bhola Nath Kak came out from the Kashmir Valley in the beginning
of the 19th century and got settled in the Bhopal state of central India. Pandit Bhola Nath Kak later on became a tutor
and his job was, to teach the princess of the Begum of Bhopal at the palace. The Nawab of Bhopal gave later on some villages
as jagir to Pandit Bhola Nath Kak as a royal favour for his services to the state with a condition that if his descendants
migrate to some other place then they would lose their right on the jagir. After the death of Pandit Bhola Nath Kak his
sons Pandit Shiv Narain Kak and Pandit Shiv Prasad Kak migrated from the Bhopal state to the imperial capital Delhi and started
living in Bazaar Sit a Ram, Both these brothers had their schooling in Delhi College.
Pandit Shiv Narain Kak after his education got a job in the British East India Company which sent him to Jodhpur the
biggest state of Rajputana in 1846 as an English tutor during the rule of Maharaja Takht Singh (1843-1873) whereas his
brother Pandit Shiv Prasad Kak later on moved to the Bharatpur state.
There is very interesting story about the foundation of the Jodhpur city in Rajputana.
Rao Jodha after coming out from Chittorgarh laid the foundation of this city on 12th May 1459 on a hill in Marwar. Prior to
this the father of Rao Jodha was killed by the Sisodias in the Chittorgarh fort in some palace intrigue. Some Shehnai player
conveyed this news to Rao Jodha very secretly through the notes of his Shehnai and advised him to a run away from the
fort to save his life which was communicated to him, through the melodious tune of a Shehnai by an expert Shehnai player
and after listening it he ran away from the rear premises of the fort through a secret passage. He later on founded the Jodhpur
city in Marwar on a hill top.
Rae Jodhas father Rao Ridmal was actually a descendant of the Rathores of Marwar. The name
of Rao Ridmals father was Rao Chunda. As per history Rao Ridmal went to Mewar in 1407 on the advise of his father. There
he some how succeeded in getting his most trusted men appointed in the court of Maharana Kumbha and started dominating over
the administration of Mewar which was not liked by the ruler who in connivance with his other courtiers hatched a conspiracy
to 'eliminate him. Subsequently under this conspiracy Rao Ridmal was killed under a well chalked out plan inside the fort.
After Rao Ridmals death his second son Rao Jodha became his successor who was then properly installed as the ruler of Marwar
in1453 after his coronation in Mandaur.
After the Mutiny of 1857 the British Parliament took over the administration of the
whole of India from the British East India Company which was formed in London in 1600 during the rule of Queen Elizabeth I
and on 1st January 1858 the British Parliament declared. Queen Victoria of England as the new Empress of India.
The British then appointed their Residents as the representatives of the crown in different princely states of India
to look after their administration properly.
On 29th September 1868 Lt. Col. Keeling came to the Jodhpur state as A.G.G.
(Agent to the Governor General) of Rajputana and signed a treaty with Maharaja Takht Singh under which it was decided that
the administration of the state would now be looked after by a Panchayat consisting of eminent persons from different walks of life. Under this treaty Dewan
Hansraj Joshi, Vijay Singh Mehta (Hakim Faujdari Adalat), Pandit Shiv Narain Kak, Harjeevan Mehta (Hakim revenue) and Sindhi Samrathraj (Hakim Dewani Adalat) were made the members of this supreme governing
body of the state to look after its administration properly. Pandit Shiv Narain Kak also became the private secretary
of Maharaja Takht Singh.
In 1871 the people of Jalore entered into
Sirohi and created disturbances by becoming violent. The members of the Panchayat were then sent from Jodhpur to settle the
dispute in which Pandit Shiv Narain Kak played a key role.
On 27th July 1873 stamp papers were printed for the first time in the Jodhpur state to
carry out land transactions in the state. These stamp papers were kept in the Kotwali under the custody of Pandit Shiv Narain
Kak.
Maharaja Takht Singh died in 1873. After his death Maharaja Jaswant Singh II (1873-1895)
became the ruler of the Jodhpur state. During his rule in 1878 the Foreign Department was established for the first time in
the state. Pandit Shiv Narain Kak who was the Private Secretary to the Maharaja was made in charge of this department.
Pt. Shiv Narain Kak then built a big haveli in the Chandpole locality inside
the fort for the living of his family members where there was a big concentration
of the Kashmiri Pandits at that time. In 1887 Pandit Shiv Narain Kak became a member of the Council constituted by the Maharaja
to run the administration of the state. The other members of this Council were Rai Bahadur Vijay Singh Mehta, Munshi Hardayal
Singh, Kaviraj Narain Das, Askaran Joshi, Amrit Lal Mehta and Hanumant Charndra Bhandari.
Pandit Shiv Narain Kak died in Jodhpur in 1892. The name of his wife was Rukma who was from a Gurtu family. He had three Sons namely Dina Nath, Sukhdeo Prasad and Lasoo
Prasad, besides four daughters Sukhbai who was married to Pandit Suraj Prakash Wattal of Jodhpur, Girwarbai who was married
to Pandit Mohan Kishan Bakshi. Mansarovar Bai who was married to Pandit Niranjan Nath Kaul and Kalabai who was married to
Pandit Radhey Nath Kaul.
Sir Sukhdeo Prasad Kak was born in 1864 in Jodhpur. He had his early schooling in the Jodhpur state. Then he did his
graduation from the Calcutta University around 1883.
After the death of Rai Bahadur Hardayal Singh in 1883, Maharaj Kumar Sardar Singh was made
secretary of Musahibe Ala and Pandit Sukhdeo Prasad Kak was deputed to keep the papers. The same year pandit Madho Prasad
Gurtu was also appointed as a member of the Council whereas both Pandit Narain Sahai Gurtu and Pandit Ratan Lal Atal were
made superintendents of the two different departments. This opportunity gave Pandit Sukhdeo Prasad Kak to have some first
hand experience about the administration of the state under the guidance of Maharaj
Kumar Sardar Singh.
When Maharaja Sardar Singh became a full fleged King of Jodhpur State in 1895 at the age
of 26 years a committee was constituted to assist him in the administration of the state with Pandit Sukhdeo Prasad Kak, Pandit Madhav Prasad Gurtu, Pandit
Dina Nath Kak and Pandit Jeevanand as its honourable members.
Pandit Sukhdeo Prasad Kak took effective steps
to streamline the process of realizing the land revenue in the state. He also took measures to improve the law and order of
the state and made the administration more accountable. Because of his outstanding work in toning up the administration of
the state, the British conferred upon him the title of Rai Bahadur in 1895 for his meritorious services.
In 1900 when Maharaja Sardar Singh went to the battle front with his army a committee was
formed to look after the administration of the state in his absence with Maharaj Kumar Sumer Singh as its Chairman and Pandit
Sukhdeo Prasad Kak and Kaviraj Murari Das as itsmost honourable members.
Queen Victoria of England and empress of India died in London at the Bukingham Palace on
22nd January 1901 and after her death her son King Edward VII became the ruling monarch on 28th January
1901. This historic occasion was celebrated on a very grand scale in Marwar, Pandit Sukhdeo Prasad Kak made elaborate arrangements
for this royal function for which he was suitably rewarded by conferring upon him
the title of Kesari-e-Hind by Maharaja Sardar Singh.
When Maharaja Sardar Singh went to England on 31st January 1902,
Pandit Sukhdeo Prasad Kak was made a senior member of Musahib-e-Ala. A year later in 1903 the British conferred the title
C.I.E. upon him for his brilliant record of service.
On the occasion of the birthday of Maharaja Sardar Singh on 22nd January 1909 the Maharaja
gave three villages to Pandit Sukhdeo Prasad
Kak, doubled his Tazim and also gave Kurab of hand as royal gifts with a permission to put gold on feet as in the princely states in those days the ordinary persons were
not permitted to wear the gold ornaments in their feet which was an exclusive privileged of the highly placed people in the society.
In 1910 Munshi Harnam Das left the state and went back to his old position in the British
India. In his place Pandit Sukhdeo Prasad Kak was made a minister in the state.
In 1911 Maharaja Sumer Singh became the ruler
of the Jodhpur state but he could rule only for Seven years and died in 1918. After his death Maharaja Ummed Singh became the ruler of the state who on 4th December
1918 founded a Residency Council to properly run the administration of the state. He made Pandit Sukhdeo Prasad Kak as the
revenue member of this Residency Council which was the supreme policy making body of the state at that time.
On 13th November 1920 Pandit Sukhdeo Prasad
Kak was made the Judicial and Political member of this Council while a Britisher,
D.L. Drake Brook man was made the Revenue member of this Residency Council. After about a week on 20th November 1920
the then Viceroy and Governor, General of India Lord Chemsford paid a visit to the Jodhpur state. To mark this historic
occasion Maharaja Ummed Singh hosted a lavish dinner in the honor of the visiting dignitary. Lord Chemsford became very much
pleased with the arrangements and distributed the medals for organizing such a grand reception party in his honor. Both Pandit
Sukhdeo Prasad Kak and his son Pandit Dharam Narain Kak were honored by these medals by Lord Chemsford.
On 3rd June 1921 Maharaja Ummed Singh celebrated his birthday on a very big scale for which all the arrangements were
made under the supervision of Pandit Sukhdeo Prasad Kak. The British in order to make this event a memorable one conferred
knighthood upon Pandit Sukhdeo Prasad Kak for his extra ordinary services for the crown in the Jodhpur state.
In October 1921 Sir Sukhdeo Prasad Kak fell seriously ill due to some disease and was advised
complete bed rest by the doctors. In his place Lt. Col. Loyal a British Officer was deputed to look after his work. Subsequently
on 26th December 1921 Dewan Bahadur Munshi Damodar Lal was appointed as a temporary Judicial member to look after the
work of Sir Sukhdeo Prasad Kak till his complete recovery from his ailment.
On 17th October 1922 Dewan Bahadur Munshi Damodar Lal went back to his original job and
Sir Sukhdeo Prasad Kak became the Judicial Member of the state once again. Then on 12th June 1923 Lt. Col.
Loyal who was the Finance member at that time in the state went back to his original service in the British India
and in his place Sir Sukhdeo Prasad Kak became the Finance member of the state.
When Maharaja Ummed Singh went to England in the end of 1923 Sir Sukhdeo Prasad Kak was made the Chairman of the Residency
Council to look after the entire administration of the state during the absence of Maharaja Ummed Singh. Sir Sukhdeo
Prasad Kak then worked as the Prime Minister of the state till his retirement on 19th December 1926.
Sir Sukhdeo Prasad Kak after his retirement from the Jodhpur State became Mushir-e-Ala
of Maharaja Bhopal Singh of Udaipur state. In the round table Conference of 1933 Sir Sukhdeo Prasad kak went to England
as the sole representative of three important princely states of Rajputana i.e. Jodhpur, Jaipur and Udaipur to plead their
case in London. After doing his job very successfully in London Sir Sukhdeo Prasad Kak returned to India. He died
in 1936 at, the age of about 72 years at Udaipur.
Sir Sukhdeo Prasad Kak was married with Mohini Hukku who was the daughter of Pandit Jialal
Hukku and grand daughter of Pandit Motilal Hukku of the Bijnore state. He had three sons Dharam Narain, Kripa Narain and Jai
Nath, besides two daughters Sukhraj who was married with Pandit Maheshwar Nath Kaul and Roop Kumari who was married with Pandit
Manmohan Nath Chak.
Sir Sukhdeo Pradad Kaks eldest son Pandit Dharam Narain Kak became Dewan of the Udaipur
state during the rule of Maharaja Bhopal Singh. He was married with Susheela Wattal
of the Gwalior state. He had three sons Kishan Prasad, Ravindra Nath and Kapil Deo besides six daughters, Chandra Mohini
who was married with Pandit Niranjan Nath Wanchoo (I.C.S.), Shakuntala who was married with Pandit Maheshwar Nath Zutshi,
Krishnawati who was married with Pandit Mankameshwar Nath Zutshi, Padmawati who was married ,with Pandit Satendra Nath Kaul
Sulakshana who was married with Pandit Kapil Raina and Kamla who was married
with Pandit Brij Avtar Tikku.
Pandit Dharam Narain Kaks eldest son Pandit Kishan Prasad Kak was married
with Roop Kumari Wattal of Lahore, whereas his second son Pandit Ravindra Nath
Kak was married with Asha Bukshi daughter of Pandit Shyam Sunder Narain Bakshi
of Lucknow and his youngest son. Pandit Kapil Deo remained unmarried all through his life.
Sir Sukhdeo Prasad Kaks second son Pandit Kripa Narain Kak was married with Kailas who was the daughter of Dewan
Jai Nath Atal of the Jaipur state. Pandit Kripa Narain Kak had two sons only,
they are Pandit Vijendra Narain (Ramji) Kak married with Shyama Kaul and Pandit Hari Narain Kak
married with Indu Wanchoo who is the daughter of the former Chief Justice of India Justice Kailas Nath Wanchoo.
Sir Sukhdeo Prasad Kaks youngest son Dr. Jai Nath kak became a reputed medical doctor after
completing his studies in the Leeds University, Leeds, U.K.. He started his medical practice at Allahbad. He was married with
Kamla who was the daughter of Major (Dr.) Pyare Lal Atal of the Jaipur state. His three sons are Pandit Sukh Kumar Kak
Who was married with Maya the daughter of Pandit Rameshwar Nath Muttoo of lucknow, Pandit Siddarth Kumar Kak, married with
Manju Kaul. and Pandit Tilak Kumar Kak who was married with Kanak the daughter of Pandit Amar Nath Wanchoo of Gurgaon city
of Haryana.
Sir Sukhdeo Prasad Kak spent royal life and he fully enjoyed every moment of it. He was
a modest person with an iron will. He achieved the greatest heights in the administration due to his hard work and
single minded devotion. His outstanding contributions for the all round progress and development of the Jodhpur state will
always be written in golden letters. His qualities of head and heart will always be a source of inspiration for the future
generations. The following lines I feel convey a very pertinent message for our younger generation.
Aag jisme lagan ki jalti bai, Kamyabi usi ko milti hal.
