In 1885, after a defeat in their war against the British, the then royal family of Myanmar was exiled to India. They lived here, in the culturally alien and remote town of Ratnagiri, for over three decades.
What happened to this royal family and their descendents, after being exiled, was never properly recorded. ‘The King in Exile: The Fall of the Royal Family of Burma’ is the untold story of this forgotten family.
This detailed account of the erstwhile Burma’s last royal family also highlights some historical connections between India and Myanmar – colonization and exploitation by the British, a religion born in India and omnipresent in Myanmar, and King Thibaw’s life in India. With Myanmar beginning a new series of political reforms, India has the opportunity to renew its historic links with Myanmar; this time without the burden of the colonial yoke. How will India take advantage of this new reality?
On September 20, Gateway House hosted Sudha Shah, author of ‘The King in Exile,’ in conversation with Neelam Deo, Director, Gateway House, to discuss, ‘The King in Exile: The Entwined Legacy of India and Myanmar.’
Sudha Shah is the author of ‘The King in Exile: The Fall of the Royal Family of Burma.’ Shah has a degree in Economics from Smith College, in the U.S., and spent the last seven years researching and writing this book. This is her debut book, and has received excellent reviews within weeks of its launch.
Ambassador Neelam Deo is the Director of Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations. She is the former Indian Ambassador to Denmark and Ivory Coast with concurrent accreditation to several West African countries. She has also served in Indian embassies in Washington D.C., Bangkok and Rome. Her most recent assignment was as Consul General in New York.