First reign as Ningthempisak After the death of Raja Gambhir Singh, Chandrakirti Singh ascended the throne of Manipur at the young age of 2 years old with the title of
Ningthempisak which meant "young king" or "little king". During his early years,
Nara Singh served as the regent of Manipur from 1832 to 1844. Following this period,
Nara Singh ruled the kingdom himself from 1844 to 1850, while Chandrakirti Singh and his mother, Queen Dowager Maharani Kumudini Devi, took refuge in
Assam. After Nara Singh’s death in 1850, Chandrakirti Singh returned to Manipur and reclaimed the throne after dethroning
Debindro Singh.
Second reign and relationship with the British From 1850 to 1886, Maharaja Chandrakirti Singh ruled Manipur for thirty-five years, a time generally marked by stability and progress. He received strong support from several British Political Agents, including
McCulloch, Dr. R. Brown, and James Johnstone. With British assistance—particularly through the supply of firearms—he was able to maintain order among the Naga tribes and help define the boundaries between Manipur and the Naga Hills. Prior to his reign, Kuki settlers were established in villages along Manipur’s southern frontier. Many Kukis were enlisted in the state’s army, forming a contingent known as the Kuki Irregulars. The British administration helped suppress rival claimants to the Manipuri throne, strengthening Chandrakirti’s authority. Under his leadership, trade, crafts, and local industries flourished. During the British
Lushai Expedition, Chandrakirti Singh was asked to send troops to
Tseklapai on the southern frontier of Manipur, to keep watch on
Kamhau-Suktes. The troops instead moved ahead to
Chivu salt springs, encroaching into then-ungoverned tribal territory, and planted a victory stone at that location. Even though the British frowned on this exercise, later in 1890, they set Manipur's border near the Chivu salt springs.
Military Manipur aided the British in the Naga Revolt of
1879–1880, sending around 2,000 Manipuri soldiers and Kuki Irregulars under the command of Crown Prince
Surachandra Singh, assisted by Prince
Tikendrajit and General Thangal, to suppress uprisings in
Khonoma and
Kohima. Later, Manipur also supported British forces in the
Third Anglo-Burmese War (1885), contributing to the conquest of the Upper
Chindwin region of
Burma. Maharaja Chandrakirti Singh maintained a cordial relationship with the British, especially with
Sir James Johnstone, the Political Agent in Manipur. In recognition of his cooperation, he was honored with the title of (
Knight Commander of the Star of India) in 1874. ==The Jila Durbar==