Jagaddipendra Narayan

He was born at Cooch Behar Palace as the eldest son of Maharaja Jitendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur, the Maharaja of Cooch Behar, by his wife, Maharani Indira Devi Sahiba. He was informally known as 'Bhaiya' and was the brother of Gayatri Devi.^[1]

He was educated at St Cyprian's School, Eastbourne, Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge, and also at the Prince of Wales Royal Indian Military College, Dehradun. He became the Maharaja of Cooch Behar at the age of seven on the death of his father on 20 December 1922 and ascended the gadi, on 24 December 1922. He reigned under the Regency of his mother until he came of age and was invested with full ruling powers on 6 April 1936. His close relatives stayed in Jaipur, Baroda, Dewas, Kota, Allahabad and Calcutta.

His first marriage took place privately at Cooch Behar, 1949 to Nancy Valentine of New York, who was a former screen actress.^[2][3] A daughter was born but did not survive and the couple separated in 1952. His second marriage took place privately in London in 1956^[4] to Georgina May Egan, who had been educated at Cambridge University^{[citation needed]}. The marriage was made public in 1960, and his wife was recognised as Maharani together with the style of Her Highness in January 1960. Maharani Gina Narayan settled in Spain after 1980. She died there in 2013.^[5][6]

He served with the British Indian Army in World War II in North Africa, Assam, Burma, and South East Asia. He was present at the time of the Japanese surrender at Singapore in 1945. He was Chief Commandant Cooch Behar Military forces from 1943 to 1949, and Colonel-in-Chief 1st Cooch Behar Infantry and Rajendra Hazari Guards, Jaipur State Forces.

He was a Member of the Standing Committee of the Chamber of Princes (Narendra Mandal).

He signed the instrument of accession to the Dominion of India in August 1947 and ceded full ruling powers to the Government of India on 12 September 1949, overseeing the merger of his state with West Bengal on 1 January 1950.

He died in Calcutta and was succeeded by his nephew, Virajendra Narayan, whom he adopted as a son.

He captained the Bengal Cricket XI.

• King George V Silver Jubilee Medal – 1935
• King George VI Coronation Medal – 1937
• 1939–1945 Star – 1945
• Burma Star – 1945
• Africa Star – 1945
• Pacific Star – 1945
• War Medal 1939–1945 – 1945
• India Service Medal – 1945
• Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (KCIE) – 1947
• Indian Independence Medal – 1947
• Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal – 1953

Royal State Transport (Now "North Bengal State Transport Corporation")

North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) is a West Bengal state government-undertaken transport corporation. It plys buses in North Bengal and other parts of West Bengal to Kolkata. NBSTC owns many depots in West Bengal to station their buses. This organisation was inaugurated by the then King of Cooch behar His Highness Jagaddipendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur Lt.Col. on 1 April 1945. It started with three buses and trucks; initially operated "Royal Mail" service and slowly introduced its passenger version to Mansai Ghat, Burnish Ghat, Alipurduar, Tufangaunge etc. The vehicles were of 'Thames' and 'Chevrolet' make, later came 'Ford' models.Thanks to the far farsightedness of erstwhile rulers, this organisation provided and still providing livelihood and means of transport to people in North Bengal Region and lower Assam. It is most probably the oldest STU in India. NBSTC received a national productivity award in 1996.

• Koch dynasty