Agartala, August 19, 2025: Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha on Tuesday paid glowing tributes to Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur on his 117th birth anniversary, recalling the last Maharaja’s historic role in shaping modern Tripura.

“The last Maharaja of Tripura’s Manikya Empire was Bir Bikram. The way he developed Tripura in every way, the Maharaja himself established the Agartala airport in 1942,” CM Saha said while addressing the commemorative programme.

The Chief Minister alleged that the previous Left Front governments had failed to acknowledge the Maharaja’s contributions. “Before 2018, the communists ruled here but did not give him any respect. After our government was formed in 2018, we gave him respect. We named the Agartala airport after him as Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport,” he remarked.

Highlighting the visionary leadership of Bir Bikram, Dr. Saha said his initiatives in infrastructure, education and planning laid the foundation for modern Tripura. “He is rightly remembered as the ‘Architect of Modern Tripura.’ Our government remains committed to preserving his legacy and honouring his memory,” he added.