Bihar Maharani Donated 600 Kg Gold, Private Jets During 1962 India-China War

• Maharani Kamsundari Devi of Darbhanga royal family donated approximately 600 kg of gold during the 1962 India-China war to support the Indian army.
• The royal family also contributed three private jets and a 90-acre private airport, which now operates as Darbhanga Airport, for national use.
• In 1962, the 600 kg gold was valued at 3 crore rupees; today, its worth would be around 8,500 crore rupees.
• The Darbhanga royal family, known as the Khandwala dynasty, was one of the wealthiest in India, with assets estimated at 2,000 crore rupees in 1962, including land, palaces, and investments.
• Despite the abolition of the zamindari system, the Kameshwara Singh Religious Trust continues to manage the remaining properties, with current assets valued at approximately 10,000 crore rupees (1962 value).

Why It Matters: Darbhanga's Maharani Kamsundari Devi made an immense contribution of gold and assets during the 1962 India-China war.