Purnaiah
| Purniya, Prime Minister of Mysore | |
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| 1st Diwan of Mysore | |
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In office 30 June 1799 – 23 December 1811 |
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| Succeeded by | Bargir Bakshi Balaji Rao |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1746 CE Coimbatore |
| Died | 27 March 1812 Srirangapatnam |
| Religion | Hinduism Brahmin |
Purnaiah (Purniya) (1746 - 27 March 1812), aka Krishnacharya Purniya or Mir Miran Purniya was the Dewan of Mysore. He served under Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan, the British and Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar. He was known for his skill with accounts, prodigious memory, proficiency in several languages and sheer hard work.
After Tipu Sultan's defeat, Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar was educated and trained by Purniah.
Purniah came from a humble family and was born in 1746 CE. He lost his father at the age of eleven and had to seek employment to support his family. He started writing accounts at a trader's shop. This grocer had close contact with a rich merchant, Annadana Setty, who supplied large quantities of groceries to Hyder Ali's palace and army.
Through this connection Purniah very soon earned confidence of Hyder Ali because of his proficiency in accounting and excellent handwriting. Endowed with prodigious memory, proficiency in several languages and sheer hard work, Purniah became head of Accounts Department and a confidant of the ruler.
Purniah knew Kannada, Sanskrit and Persian. He understood English, but could not read or write the language.
In 1782, when Hyder Ali died, near Chittoor, Tipu was encamping in Malabar coast. Purniah kept the king's death a top secret, and sent the word to Tipu by the speediest way possible. Meanwhile, Hyder's body was kept embalmed, and business went on usual. Purniah thus played a key role in keeping the news of Hyder's death confidential, as many adversaries could have seized this advantage and tried to usurp throne. Purniah thus paved the way for the succession of Tipu. Purniah became a member of Tipu's inner cabinet. He was the only Hindu in an all-Muslim team.
Not once did Tipu Sultan try to convert Purniah to Islam.
Purniah attended every military campaign Tipu Sultan led. In the Third Anglo-Mysore War of 1792, Purniah commanded a rocket units (131 men). In his last battle with the British, Tipu had entrusted his eldest son and heir-apparent to Purniah's care. Tipu died on the battlefield in 1799.
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