Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar

Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar Biography

Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar was the 25th and the last Maharaja of the princely state of Mysore from 1940 to 1950. He was also known as philosopher, musicologist, political thinker and philanthropist. His full name is ‘His Highness Maharaja Sri Sir Jaya Chamarajendra Wodeyar Bahadur’. He was born to Kanteerava Narasimharaja Wadiyar and Kempu Cheluvaja Amanni on 18 July 1919. He passed away on 23 September 1974, aged 55.

Apart from being a member of Royal Mysore family, he was an intelligent student also. He graduated from the Maharaja's College, Mysore in 1938, earning 5 awards and gold medals. His first marriage happened in the same year. He married Sathya Prema Kumari of Charkhari on May 15, 1938. This relationship failed and later he married Tripura Sundari Ammani Avaru on April 30, 1944. There were no children from the first marriage and 6 children from second. Surprisingly both these queens died in 1983 within a span of 15 days.

Maharaja was interested in music and arts and he conducted a tour to Europe during 1939 to acquaint with artists all over the region. After the demise of his uncle Maharaja Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar, he ascended the throne of Kingdom of Mysore on 8 September 1940. He signed the Instrument of Accession with the Dominion of India and princely state of Mysore was merged with the Republic of India in 1950. Thus he lost the position of Maharaja of Mysore. He held the position of Rajpramukh of the State of Mysore from 26^th January 1950 to 1^st November 1956. He became the first Governor of the reorganized or unified State of Mysore and alter became the governor of Tamil Nadu also.

Maharaja was proficient in Indian classical music as well as western. Russian composer Nikolai Medtner was introduced to the world by him. His life was dedicated to music in London while he had to return to India following the demise of his uncle Maharaja Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar. He was the first president of the Philharmonia Concert Society, London in 1948. He has written a few books and translated a few works also.

Published: N/A

Updated: September 24, 2017