Lord George Nathaniel Curzon (1859 - 1925),
Viceroy of India (1899 - 1905)

George Nathaniel, First Marquees Curzon of Kedelston, 1859-1925. Conservative M.P. 1886-1898; Under Secretary of the State of India, 1891-1892, and for Foreign Affairs, 1895-1898; created Baron, 1898; was India's most celebrated and eloquent Viceroy, a position he held from 1899 to 1905; created Viscount, 1911; Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, 1919-1924; created Marquees, 1921.

In 1899, the the conservative government appointed Lord Curzon as Viceroy of India. A man of boundless energy and ambition, he at once sought to improve the efficiency of the Government machine, in order to be able to make more decisions himself. Such was his forcefulness that he in part succeeded. Legislation which he favored passed swiftly into law; famine problems were tackled with some success, irrigation projects advanced rapidly, cotton cultivation was encouraged, cattle breeding improved, ancient buildings were preserved, new buildings begun.

Among the duties that a Viceroy is called upon to perform in India was the installation of a Ruling Chief or Prince on the gadi, or throne. In 1899, on one such occasion Lord Curzon installed the young prince in Bahawalpur State as the Nawab, and the ceremony took place at the great Durbar hall of the Palace, before an immense concourse of the nobles and ministers of the state and a large assemblage of European officers and guests. This occasion was of utmost pageantry and rejoicing. Sir Rahim Bakhsh was the Manager of the State of Bahawalpur and organized the coronation ceremonies. The political agent for Phulkian States (Patiala, Nabha, & Jind) and Bahawalpur, Sir James Robert Dunlop Smith, also attended this occasion.

Both Sir Rahim Bakhsh (Bahawalpur State) and Khan Bahadur Sardar Bakhshi Wali Mohammed Khan (Nabha State), had political dealings with Lord Curzon.