KOCH

koch, a tribe of north-eastern india, which has given its name to the state of kuch behar (q.v.). they are probably of mongolian stock, akin to the mech, kachari, garo and tippera tribes, and originally spoke, like these, a language of the bodo group. but since one of their chiefs established a powerful kingdom at kuch behar in the 16th century they have gradually become hinduized, and now adopt the name of rajbansi (= "of royal blood"). in 1901 the number in eastern bengal and assam was returned at nearly 21⁄2 millions.