Privy Purse Case : An Interesting Article

When India attained Independence in 1947, the independence was from British India.
555 princely states covered 48% of pre independent india and constituted 28% of population.
Legally the princely states were not part of British India.

To bring India to its present shape, these princely states need to be persuaded to give up their kingdom. Sardar Patel and VP Menon ( constitutional advisor to Lord Mountbattsen), were the key people who made this possible. They negotiated, influenced, cajoled the princely states to give up their right and signed the instrument of Accession. It is often refered to as bloodless revolution.

A recent article published in The Hindu on 19thNov 2013 is worth a read for all those who are not aware of the back stage artists who made the United States of India. Click this article to read.