Dinesh Rajagopalan
Dinesh Rajagopalan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Secretary-General of SAAMC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 19 October 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chair | Arsal Abbas Mirza | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Position established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chief Commissioner of Swarnarajya | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 27 April 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monarch | Varuna Sriraya | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Farhaz Hazarika Klarissa Sriraya | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vishwamitran Ambassador to the Kingdom of Mayursia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 15 August 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monarch | Varuna Sriraya | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Klarissa Sriraya | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Office established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of Parliament of the Kingdom of Novus Hierosolymis for Montem North | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 2 April 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monarch | Jayden I | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Sander Koff Matthew Tonna | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Reuben Isze | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of Parliament of the Pinangese Republic | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 13 October 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President | Tobey Wyles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Ayane Martinez | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 2006 (age 17–18) Kolkata, West Bengal, India | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | VNP (2023–present) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other political affiliations | NPC (2020) PPV (2020) GSP (2021) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dinesh Rajagopalan (born 2006) is a Vishwamitran politician, diplomat who currently serves as the Secretary-General of the South Asian Association of Micronational Cooperation since 19 October 2024. Prior to his becoming the secretary-general, he had served as a minister in the fourth Klarissa Sriraya ministry since August 2024. He previously served as the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha in the 16th Lok Sabha and the Leader of the Opposition in the 15th Lok Sabha.
Career
Early career (2020–2021)
Rajagopalan joined micronationalism after founding the Republic of Lowenia in May 2020 and assuming the office of the nation's president. In the following months, as the head of state, he contacted Vishwamitra, another fellow Indian micronation and established bilateral relations and also applied for membership to the Cupertino Alliance. In October that year, after rounds of negotiations, the Treaty of Chandril was signed between Lowenia and Vishwamitra paving way for Lowenia to join Vishwamitra as the special administrative region of Chandril. He assumed the office of the administrator of Chandril on 19 October 2020. However, ties with the federation soon severed following his demands and displeasure on the status of Chandril. Despite his regular demands and efforts to seek statehood for the territory, the federal government chose to pay no attention. His actions frowned the government and monarch Varuna Sriraya and was briefly stripped of his designation and membership in the privy council in November 2020, only to be restored in January 2021.
A month after being reinstated of his ranks and membership, he had a fallout with the monarch and the government of Vishwamitra which eventually led to him being stripped of his citizenship, honours, ranks and titles in the nation and the eventual expulsion of Chandril from the union. He would then try to approach the GUM Supreme Court seeking restoration of his titles and citizenship but then withdrew the case. He was soon declared a persona non grata by Vishwamitra and several other states and banned from engaging with Vishwamitra.
Indradhanush and subsequent career (2021–2022)
Days after Chandril's expulsion and his ban from Vishwamitra, he declared the foundation of the Kingdom of Indradhanush on 13 February 2021, claimed over the former territories of Chandril. As the sovereign of the new kingdom, he made several efforts to enter the diplomatic community, but that often led to failures. He briefly announced his stepping down as the sovereign on 24 February, and was succeeded by King Aircraft I, only to be re-installed two days later. He remained as the nation's ruler until 13 April 2021 and then abdicating in favour of John Lakes. Indradhanush was briefly dissolved between April and July that year, and he was re-installed as king on 30 July. He then asked his friend, Rory I, then emperor of Lurdentania and a minister in the government of Vishwamitra on 28 September 2021 to be regent.
During this period, he kept pushing for being allowed to re-enter Vishwamitra as a citizen and sought for forgiveness for his past deeds. He was eventually allowed back and joined the Green Socialist Party and then served as its chairperson in December 2021 following the resignation of his predecessor David Brooke. He desired to run in the election but was barred by the election commission due to his previous engagements. Meanwhile, he was also re-installed as King of Indradhanush following Rory's abdication and ruled between November and December 2021 and later abdication in favour of his mother, Queen Monroe I. He also briefly served as consul-general for South India for Vishwamitra until his resignation weeks later.
On 16 March 2022, the Kingdom of Indradhanush was renamed as the Federation of Roselia after a series of changes and the nation adopting a system of elective monarchy. Rajagopalan assumed the office of the prime minister of Roselia and served till the dissolution of the nation following inactivity.
Return and rise in Vishwamitran politics (2023–present)
Acting against the advice of his ministers and counsellors, the monarch of Vishwamitra Varuna Sriraya extended an olive branch of reconciliation towards Rajagopalan and both agreed to forget past memories and embark on a new start. He was eventually allowed to Vishwamitra and the dissolved state of Roselia was annexed by Vishwamitra as the crown dependency of Swarnarajya. He was appointed as the commissioner for Swarnarajya on 27 April 2023.
A month later, he ran independently in the by-election to the Basistha City constituency in the state of Basistha which was needed following the resignation of MP Reuben Isze. Due to lack of opposition, he was elected unopposed to the Lok Sabha from the constituency, marking a start in his parliamentary career. Days after his election to the parliament, he joined the opposition Vishwamitran National Party. Following the resignation of his predecessor Rory Leonard, he was appointed as the leader of the opposition by the party leadership on 13 June 2023. However, as the leader of the opposition, he proved to be less vocal, often leading to him being criticised by his party colleagues including deputy speaker Josh Ford.
In the 2023 general election, he contested from the two constituencies to the parliament – from Uttar Basistha in Basistha state against outgoing speaker Tyler Mullins and Bhetapara constituency of Beltola state against minister Rafe Hargreaves. He was defeated by Congress-backed independent candidate Tyler Mullins in Uttar Basistha but managed to defeat minister Rafe Hargreaves in the Bhetapara constituency and was elected to the parliament for the second time. After the election, he was unopposed elected as the deputy speaker and rescinded his party membership. As the deputy speaker, he ran the house very effectively and in an non-partisan manner during the absence of speaker Arsal Abbas Mirza. By March 2024, Vishwamitra plunged into inactivity and sought for more focus from local citizens, however, in the months to follow, things returned to normalcy. The parliament was dissolved on 4 June 2024 with no immediate election to be held, he ceased to be the deputy speaker.
At the recommendation of his party chairperson Josh Ford, he joined the ministry of prime minister Klarissa Sriraya on 3 October 2024 as a minister of state. He was appointed the Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Religious Affairs and as a minister of state in the Ministry of Home Affairs, and in the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Natural Resources.
On 17 October, he was nominated by Vishwamitra to be a candidate for the secretary-general of the South Asian Association of Micronational Cooperation. His candidature was initially supported by all member states except the Kingdom of Mayursia, who later also decided to back his nomination. He was unanimously elected as the inaugural secretary-general of the regional organisation on 19 October 2024. Following his election, he resigned from his position as a minister.
Titles, styles and honours
Titles
Vishwamitra:
Count of Calton (11 January 2021[1] – 5 February 2021[2][a])
Baron Rajagopalan (1 December 2021[3] – 12 December 2021[b]: 17 May 2023[4] – 6 August 2023)[c]
Pinang and 
Belcity:
- Amico Indiano delle micronazioni Italiane (Indian Friend of the Italian micronations)[5]
Honours of Vishwamitra
- Vishwamitra:
Commander of the Most Exalted Order of Sri Maha Vishwamitra (CSV) (8 June 2024)
Recipient of the Civil Service Medal (CSM) (11 January 2024)
Recipient of the Commemorative Medal of the Crystal Jubilee of the Foundation of Vishwamitra (15 April 2023)[6]
Recipient of the Installation Medal of Rashtradhyaksh III (1 August 2024)
Federal Territory:
Grand Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of the Territorial Crown (GCTC) – Uttama Sri (26 May 2023)[7]
Basistha:
Member of the Most Distinguished Order of Merit of Basistha (MMB) (27 January 2024)
Kamrupa:
Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the State of Kamrupa (CSK) (1 October 2024)
Madhya Prant:
Knight Companion of the Most Blessed Order of the Crown of Madhya Prant (KCCM) – Maha Prathama (23 February 2024)
Purvanchal:
Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Crown of Purvanchal (KCCP) – Maha Uttama (11 January 2024)
Knight Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of the Maharaja Varuna Sriraya (KCVS) – Maha Indra (25 June 2023)
Recipient of the Commemorative Medal of the Silver Wedding Jubilee of T.R.H. The Maharajajanak and Maharajajanani (5 February 2024)
Uttaranchal:
Companion of the Most Illustrious Order of Loyalty to Rajpramukh Sri Bishnu Chetry (CSB) (14 September 2024)
Member of the Most Honourable Order of the Crown of Uttaranchal (MCU) (4 May 2023)
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Other honours
National honours
- Pinang:
Founder Grand Master of the Order of Alleyvia (24 August 2021)
Foreign honours
Ebenthal:
Member of the Order of Dagon (25 January 2021; revoked 15 February 2021)
Snagov:
Member of the Order of the 18th of June (3 February 2021; revoked 5 February 2021)
Lurdentania:
Officer of the Illustrious Order of Diplomatic Chivalry (4 October 2021; order dissolved 2023)
Member of the Illustrious Order of Diplomatic Chivalry (31 July 2021 – 4 October 2021)
Grand Commander of the Order of the Royal Tree (2 December 2021 order dissolved 2023)[d]
Member of the Order of the Royal Tree (4 October 2021 – 2 December 2021)
Winterspell:
Member of the Order of the Broad-tailed Hummingbird (8 June 2022)
References and notes
References
- ↑ "Birthday Honours 2021". Google Docs. Rashtradhyaksh of Vishwamitra. 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ↑ "Notification Important - 5/2/21". Google Docs. Rashtradhyaksh of Vishwamitra. 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ↑ "Royal Decree No. 220/2021 dt. 1 December 2021". Google Docs. Rashtradhyaksh of Vishwamitra. 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ↑ "Royal Decree No. 266 (10/2023) - 17 May 2023". Google Docs. Rashtradhyaksh of Vishwamitra. 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ↑ "Special Joint Communique by the Republics of Pinang and Belcity". Google Docs. Government of Pinang. 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
- ↑ "Royal Decree No. 236-2022". Google Docs. Rashtradhyaksh of Vishwamitra. 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ↑ "Royal Decree No. 267 (11/2023)". Google Docs. Rashtradhyaksh of Vishwamitra. 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
Notes
- ↑ Expelled due to Fall of Chandril.
- ↑ Voluntary relinquishment.
- ↑ Abolition of nobility.
- ↑ Served as Chancellor of the Order from 2 December 2021 till 9 April 2022.
