Kunwar Sylvester Norbert Shiva Nath Rikh
third branch (line 3) of royal family of tajpur
originating from kunwar sylvester norbert shiva nath rikh
Kunwar Shiva Nath Rikh was the youngest son of Raja Bahadur Pratap Singh. He was the head of the Third branch (Line-3) of Tajpur Estate. This is the Christian branch.
Kunwar Shiva Nath Rikh For many years he resided in England, where he qualified himself as a Barrister at law. In September 1899 Fr. Romulus received Kunwar Shiva Nath Singh into the catholic church and baptized him in Mussoorie. He changed his name to Kunwar Sylvester Norbert Shiva Nath Rikh as this was the new name he took. Kunwar Sylvester Norbert Knew Fr. Sylvester de Castel del Piano (the Italian priest who instructed him in the new faith. This may have been the reason why Kunwar Shiva Nath chose the name, a very common practice in India at the time among the new converts, the choice was often the priest’s name as the exigency of the Catholic Church was that a saint’s name had to be chosen at the christening) baptized in 1899 in the Catholic Church by legendary Fr. Romulus and in 1910, he along with his brother embraced Christianity. On his return, he resided in Raja- Ka-Tajpur in Norbert House, built in English style, close to the Sacred Heart Church In his share of the Tajpur Estate he received 39 villages and 39 shares in the four parganas of Dhampur Tahsil, in Daranagar, Chandpur, Bashta and Afzalgarh, the total assessment of the revenue demand being Rupees 29,674/-. He had eight sons; their names have been mentioned in the family tree
Family Compromise of 1902
extract from report and minutes north india conference methodist episcopal church - 1903 [ 776344] methodist publishing house, lucknow
Page No 111
Raja FX Shiam Rikh received 25 villages and share in five others in Pargana Barapur, ten villages and one share in Nihtaur, Eight villages and one share in Dhampur, Seven villages in Bashta, five villages in Chandpur and one village and two shares in Daranagar. The total comprises 56 villages and nine shares, with a present revenue demand of Rs 15,917/-.
His younger brother Kunwar Sheonath Singh is also a Christian and for years resided in England, his property comprising 30 villages and shares in 33 others in four parganas od Dhampur tehsil and in Daranagar, Chandpur, Bashta and Afzalgarh. The total assessment being Rs 20,674/-.
Raja Jagat Singh left two sons, of whom the elder Kunwar Randhier Singh, after twelve years residence in England settled in the Ram Bagh Kothi at Tajpur. His share of the Estate consists of 14 villages and four parts in Dhampur and four parts in Dhampur and 15 villages and eight shares in Afzalgarh with a revenue demand of Rs 19,115/-. Kunwar Dig Bijai Singh his younger brother, who lives at Roshanpur near Nagina owns 19 villages in Nagina and seven villages and one share in Nihtaur paying revenue of Rs 13,257/.
Kunwar Sylvester Norbert Shiva Nath Rikh had two wives, from the first wife, who was a Hindu, he had two sons, Kunwar Harinath Rikh and Kunwar Auguste Rikh. After the death of his first wife, he married for the second time to Lillian Mary Rikh, who was a Christian. Out of this wedlock they had six children; they were, Kunwar Narad Rikh, Kunwar Jaipal Rikh, Kunwar Victor Ashok Rikh, Kunwar Bertie Rikh, Kunwar Arthur Rikh and one daughter Rajkumari Elia Lillian.
Kunwar Sylvester Norbert Shiva Nath Rikh died on 30 May 1922 at Dehradun. His body was brought to Tajpur and was buried besides his wife, in the prayer hall in The Sacred Heart Church. Rani Lillian Mary Rikh died on 28 January 1943.
graves of kunwar shiva nath rikh and rani lillian mary inside the sacred heart church raja-ka-tajpur
Kunwar Hari Nath Rikh
He was son of Kunwar Shiva Nath Rikh from his Hindu wife. Kunwar Hari Nath Rikh was sent to England by his father for higher education and he completed Law course from a very prestigious law course, where he completed Bar- At- Law from Oxford University. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, and Jinnah, The First PM of Pakistan were his classmates. It is a coincidence that Lady Mountbatten, wife of last Viceroy of India too was his classmate He was married to Kunwar Rani Durga Rose Rikh. She was born on 2 January 1895 and she died on 25 October 1968 she was buried in the Sacred Heart Church Raja-Ka-Tajpur. He constructed a magnificent Kothi Naya Bagh in Raja-Ka- Tajpur. They were blessed with three children, two daughters Rajkumari Angela Rikh and Rajkumari Lolita Rikh and one son Kunwar Maha Singh Rikh, who was their youngest child.
graves of kunwar harinath rikh and his wife kunwar rani durga rose at the sacred heart church
rajkumari angela rikh
Rajkumari Angela Rikh
Rajkumari Angela Rikh was the first child of Kunwar Hari Nath Rikh and Kunwar Rani Durga Rose Rikh. She was married the General Manager in GM Motors, New Delhi. Unfortunately, the marriage did not work out. She was issueless. She migrated to Australia.
Rajkumari Lolita Rikh
Rajkumari Lolita Rikh was the second child of Kunwar Hari Nath Rikh and Kunwar Rani Durga Rose Rikh. She was married to Major M Mansukhani. They were blessed with two children, Rajkumari Bina and Kunwar Vijay, who is working in Merchant Navy. Rajkumari Lolita Rikh along with family settled in Australia.
Brigadier Kunwar Maha Singh Rikh
Brigadier Maha Singh Rikh was the third child of Kunwar Hari Nath Rikh and Rani Durga Rose. He was born on 07 December 1918. He married Kunwar Rani Molly Rikh after the death of his uncle Kunwar Bertie Rikh. Brigadier Kunwar Maha Singh Rikh joined The Indian Army as an Officer and served in the Second Battalion of the Rajput Regiment. He was the Commanding Officer of the Battalion during the 1962 war against China. He was also taken as a prisoner of war during the war. He also raised a Brigade. After the death of his first wife, Kunwar Rani Molly Rikh, he married Mrs Pasty, who was the widow of his colleague in the Army and after retirement from the active service, he came back to Raja-Ka-Tajpur and stayed in Kothi Naya Bagh. Kunwar Rani Pasty stayed in Calcutta; he gave her all his money. On 14 April 1974 he died in Kothi Naya Bagh.
Out of the second wedlock the following children were born—
Kunwar Narad Rikh
Kunwar Narad Rikh was Bar at Law from Oxford university, England. His son Captain Peter Rikh was a prominent British army officer, he died aged 25 on 15th February in 1944, during the Italian campaign in the second world war, while serving with the Royal Berkshire Regiment. He was married to Sandra Luce in 1941. He was buried in Casino war cemetery in Italy with full military honors. His daughter affectionately called as Tuku was married to a leading producer and director of French films
Kunwar Jaipal Rikh (Nello Rikh)
Other person to rise to prominence was Kunwar Jaipal Rikh (Nello Rikh) who served in the Royal Air Force in England. He served as Captain served in RIF He was married to a beautiful Jewish lady. They were blessed with one son Kunwar Rollo Rikh, who served in the Army. On his return to India he was given the post of Superintendent of Police. When was posted at Badayun, District as SP, Police, he came in close contact with the district collector and Magistrate, Mr Feroz Khan Noon, who later on became the seventh prime minister of Pakistan on 16 December 1957 to 1958.
Kunwar Aguste Rikh
He Was The Second Son Of Kunwar Shiva Nath Rikh. He was Married to Rani Kuntala Rikh, Who Was The Niece Of Great Freedom Fighter” Shri Subash Chander Bose”. Kunwar Aguste Rikh Died at a Very Young In 1920. They Were Issueless.
kunwar victor ashok rikh
Kunwar Ashok Victor Rikh took part in the war at Mesopotamia. He married Rani Kuntala Rikh, widow of Kunwar Aguste Rikh and she was niece of great freedom fighter “Shri Subash Chander Bose”., and they had one son, Flying Officer Kunwar Vikramjit Rikh, who died in an air crash at the age of 22 years near Poona, Maharashtra, India. Their daughter Rajkumari Monika was married to Colonel Gyan Chand Dubey. He served in the Indian Army as an Officer
This is the family photograph at the wedding of Rk Monica Rikh D/O Victor (Ashok) Rikh S/o Raja Shiam Rikh and Rani Kuntala Rikh with Colonel Gyan Chand Dubey in 1946 at Norbert House, Close to Sacred Heart Church, Raja – Ka – Tajpur, District Bijnor, UP
Sitting on Chair L to R: - Unknown, Rani Molly Rikh, w/o Birtie Rikh, Rani Lillain Mary, Colonel Gyan Chand Dubey ( Groom), Rk Monika (Bride) D/O Kr Victor Rikh, Rani Kuntala Rikh W/O Kr Victor Rikh, Rani Phool Kumari of Dhampur Estate, Rani Bhawani Devi w/o Raja Gajender Nath Rikh, Rani Durga Rose Rikh w/o of Kr Hari Nath Rikh, Bar at Law, Rani Kitty Rikh who belonged to Lord family of Great Britain w/o of Kr Jaswant Rikh, RK Lalita D/O Kr Hari Nath Rikh.
Standing first row L to R: - 1 to 7 Unknown, Major John Wakefield Retd Manager of Raja Jasjit Singh Saheb, Raja Jasjit Singh,Brig Maha Singh Rikh, Kr Bertie
Rikh S/O Kr Shiva Nath Rikh, Kr Padvender Rath Rikh fourth son of Raja Vishwanath Rikh, Kr Victor (Ashok) Rikh, Kr Hari Raj Singh of Seohara Estate married to Sister of Raja Jasjit Singh, Kr Jaswant Rikh S/o Raja Shiam Rikh, Unknown, Raja Vishwanath Rikh S/o Raja Shiam Rikh, Unknown, Kr Gajender Nath Rikh S/O Vishwanath Rikh, Rai Bahadur Rahu Raj Singh of Seohara Estate, Unknown, kr Narendra Nath Rikh, Kr Ranveer Singh of Garhi, Kr Rajeshwar Nath Rikh,
Kr Gajpati Rikh Last Row Standing L to R:- Unknown, Mr Arthur brother of John Wakefield, unknown, Dr Rajkumar Mishra, unknown, Unknown, Unknown, unknown, Mahendernath Tyagi of Mujadpur. Unknown, unknown, Chaudhary Bhageshwar Nath Tyagi,
Kunwar Bertie Rikh
Kunwar Bertie Rikh was a very good writer. He used to write regular articles in magazines and he was highly appreciated. He fell in love with Miss Molly, who was very beautiful lady and was Miss Mussoorie. Kunwar Bertie Rikh once invited few Raja and Maha Raja’s of other Estates to Mussoorie and to impress Miss Molly he used Paper currency notes as fuel to cook food. After this event she fell in love with Kunwar Bertie Rikh and married him. He constructed a Bungalow in Dehradun on municipal road which after his death was occupied by his two sons, Kunwar Hector Rikh and Kunwar Tinny Rikh. Kunwar Tiny Rikh had one son Kunwar William Rikh, who is the executive head of American Express of complete Asian region.
Kunwar Arthur Rikh
Kunwar Arthur Rikh was the youngest son of Kunwar Sylvester Norbert Shiva Nath Rikh. He Was Not Married. He Was Very Handsome. He Served in The Indian Army as a Captain. He had to leave Army due to medical reasons. He was very fond of drinks which he enjoyed every day under the Orange tree (Narangi Tree) in Norbert House with his friends. He collected all his money and planned his expenditure on the salaries of his employees and on his alcohol. This gave him an idea as to how long he can survive with his money. Once he finished all his money he injected poison which did not work, he then called for his doctor and at gun point made him inject poison He Died In 1955 And Was Laid To Rest under the Orange Tree (Narangi Tree) as per his last wish and he Did Not Want A Stone On His Grave.
Rajkumari Elia Lillian
Elia Lillian Rikh married Alexander Stowell. In Australia she was in the nursing staff and died in 1962. Had one issue Marcus Rikh, Who Settled in Australia and he has a son named Kunwar Gregory Rikh and Kunwar Steven Rikh.
