Dhripnath Shah

Dripnath Shah was a Nagvanshi king in the 18th century. His capital was at Palkot. He succeeded Maninath Shah and ruled from 1762 to 1790 CE. He became a vassal of the East India Company in 1771. He submitted list of Nagvanshi kings to Governor general of India in 1787.

Pillages by Ramgarh Raj Mukund Singh of Ramgarh carried out several pillages and looting in Nagvanshi territory as an excuse to collect revenue, as in the past the Nagvanshi were giving tribute to the Mughals through Ramgarh Raj.

Vassal of East India Company After the Battle of Buxar, East India Company got rights to collect taxes from Bihar and Bengal territory. Dripnath Shah declined to pay tax to East India Company when Company official met him in Palkot. Later Dripnath Shah decided to become a vassal of the East India Company; when he came to know about Captain Camac's activity who was successful in subjugating the Chero ruler of Palamu. In 1771, after the fall of the Palamu Forts, Dripnath Shah met Captain Camac and wished to become a vassal of the East India Company and agreed to six thousand rupees as tribute and six thousand nazrana annually, the same amount of tax that was paid to Mughal. He formalised it with exchanging his headgear with the cap of Captain Camac. Captain Camac expected the help of Dripnath Shah in an expedition against Jainath Singh of Palamu, Mukund Singh the ruler of Ramgarh, and the Marathas.