The Autobiography of an Indian Princess

Born in 1864 amid a thunderstorm that locals saw as a omen, she grew up in the bustling quarters of Calcutta under the roof of the influential Sen family. Her father, Keshub Chunder Sen, was a celebrated social reformer whose devotion to the Brahmo movement infused the household with ideas of tolerance and universal brotherhood. Guided by a mother described as gentle and self‑effacing, the young princess experienced a childhood rich with festivals, music, and the early stirrings of a faith that rejected caste divisions while embracing a single divine principle.

In her memoir she traces the collision of tradition and progress as she navigates courtly romance, a marriage into the royal house of Cooch Bihar, and the expectations placed upon her as a future maharani. The narrative offers vivid snapshots of Indian aristocratic life, the challenges of adjusting to a new role, and the excitement of her first journey to England, where she encounters an entirely different social world. Listeners will be drawn into her candid reflections on family, education, and the delicate balance between heritage and change.