La Martiniere College has reinstated its unique colonial-era 'Daroga' system after a 12-year hiatus, appointing descendants of the original 1845 officeholders. Mohammed Fahad Azim, great-great-grandson of Senior Daroga Miyan Machhu, and Moin Ali, assumed their roles on March 27 following a protracted legal battle.
The positions were established by French adventurer Major General Claude Martin in his will, mandating perpetual appointment from Machhu's lineage. The tradition continued uninterrupted until 2013 when a former principal discontinued it, sparking litigation. Documents reveal Machhu served as Martin's Persian tutor and fought alongside Tipu Sultan before becoming the college's first administrator.
While the Lucknow district court upheld the hereditary claim, disputes persist over ancillary benefits like on-campus housing mentioned in Martin's 1802 will.
The 179-year-old institution, awarded a rare Royal Battle Honour for its 1857 uprising role, maintains this singular administrative structure among global educational institutes.
