Migration and Educational Transformation in the Princely State of Tripura

The princely state of Tripura underwent profound demographic and socio-economic transformations during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These transformations were closely associated with the influx of immigrants from neighbouring regions, particularly from colonial Bengal. Migration during the last hundred years of Manikya rule significantly altered the demographic structure, administrative system and educational development of the state. While the indigenous population of Tripura consisted mainly of tribal communities engaged in traditional forms of subsistence, the arrival of migrants introduced new economic practices, administrative institutions and educational systems. This article examines the relationship among migration, modernisation, and literacy growth in Tripura between the late nineteenth century and the state's merger with the Indian Union in 1949. By analysing census reports, administrative records and historical accounts, the study demonstrates that immigration was both a consequence of modernisation policies and a major factor contributing to the expansion of education and literacy. Educated migrants from Bengal played a crucial role in building administrative institutions and educational infrastructure, while economic migrants contributed to agricultural expansion and demographic change. The article argues that the transformation of Tripura from a predominantly tribal polity into a more complex, multi-ethnic society was closely linked to migration patterns and the modernisation policies pursued by the Manikya rulers. At the same time, these processes created long-term demographic and political consequences that continued to shape the socio-political history of Tripura in the post-colonial period.