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Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar

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Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar
Wadiyar sitting on the Mysore throne during a private Dasara ceremony.
26th Head of the Wadiyar dynasty
Tenure10 September 1974 – 10 December 2013
PredecessorJayachamaraja Wadiyar
SuccessorYaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar
Born(1953-02-20)20 February 1953
Mysore, Mysore State, India
(present-day Mysuru, Karnataka)
Died10 December 2013(2013-12-10) (aged 60)
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
SpousePramoda Devi
IssueYaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar (adopted after his death by his widow)
DynastyWadiyar
FatherJayachamarajendra Wadiyar
MotherTripura Sundari Ammani
SignatureSrikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar's signature
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
6 October 1999 – 22 May 2004
Preceded byC. H. Vijayashankar
Succeeded byC. H. Vijayashankar
ConstituencyMysore, Karnataka
In office
15 May 1996 – 10 March 1998
Preceded byChandraprabha Urs
Succeeded byC. H. Vijayashankar
ConstituencyMysore, Karnataka
In office
31 December 1984 – 20 June 1991
Preceded byM. Rajasekara Murthy
Succeeded byChandraprabha Urs
ConstituencyMysore, Karnataka
Personal details
Political partyIndian National Congress (1984–1991; 1996–2013)
Other political
affiliations		Bharatiya Janata Party (1991–1996)
Residences
Occupation
  • Fashion designer
  • politician

Srikanthadattā Narasimharājā Wadiyar (20 February 1953 – 10 December 2013) was an Indian royal scion, politician, and fashion designer, who served as Member of Parliament from Mysore. He was the son of Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar, the last king of Mysore.

As a fashion designer, Wadiyar promoted the sale of Mysore silk saris under his brand Royal Silk of Mysore. In the second half of the 20th century, the southern Indian silk industry was revived, and Mysore State became a top silk producer in India under his great-uncle Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV's reign. After his demise, he was succeeded by his grandnephew Yaduveer Wadiyar as the head of the Wadiyar dynasty.[1]

Early life

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Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar was born on 20 February 1953 as the only son of Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar and his second wife Maharani Tripura Sundari Devi. He had five sisters: Princesses Gayatri Devi, Meenakshi Devi, Kamakshi Devi, Indrakshi Devi, and, the youngest Vishalakshi Devi.[2]

Wadiyar succeeded his father as the head of the Wadiyar dynasty after his father's death on 9 September 1974 and continued the traditional customs of the royal family including Mysore Dasara from 1974 until his own demise on 10 December 2013. He was succeeded by Prince Yaduveer Wadiyar.[1]

Education

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Srikanta Dutta Narasimharaja Wodeyar at Manasa Gangotri studying for the Bachelor of Arts (1972) (also seen: teachers – Prof. S. Ananthanarayan, Dr. C. D. Govinda Rao, Prof Mylari Rao and Prof. Putmadappa)

Wadiyar studied at the private Palace Royal School and completed his secondary school education in 1967. He took horse-riding lessons from the Government Riding School, Mysore.[citation needed] Wadiyar had a British and an Anglo-Indian nanny who groomed him. A Mr. Watsa was a mentor to him during his formative years.

He joined Maharaja's College, Mysore, in 1968 to pursue his one-year pre-university course and later earned a degree in Bachelor of Arts in 1972, pursuing it from 1969 to 1972, majoring in the English literature and political science.[citation needed] Wadiyar's minor subject was sociology. His second language was Kannada, tutored by Prof. K. Venkataramappa. He did his master's degree in political science at Manasa Gangotri, University of Mysore, from 1972 to 1974. He studied a course in law as an open-university student.[citation needed]

Wadiyar also studied Western classical music and Carnatic classical music. In his youth, he had studied the Vedas as well.[citation needed] He was awarded a gold medal for securing the first rank in Master of Arts in Political Science.

Throughout his college career, Wadiyar was a cricketer, like many Indian kings and princes, and had a collection of cricket bats signed by international test cricket players.[citation needed] Wadiyar's love of cricket led him to captain his university's team and later prompted his involvement in leading the Karnataka State Cricket Association as its president.[3]

Political career

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Wadiyar was a longtime member of the Indian National Congress (INC) party. He participated six times in elections for Member of Parliament representing Mysore. He won four time as a member of the INC, and lost twice; once as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate and once as an INC candidate.

In 1984, Wadiyar first stood for Lok Sabha elections on an Indian National Congress ticket and defeated the independent candidate K. P. Shantamurthy. He joined the BJP in 1991, but lost the elections badly to Chandraprabha Urs of the INC. He moved back to the INC, and won Lok Sabha elections in 1996 and 1999, but lost the 2004 elections.[4]

Personal life

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Srikanta Dutta Wadiyar's Wedding with Pramoda Devi (c. 1976)

Wadiyar was married to Pramoda Devi from the Bettada Kote Urs branch. She is a post-graduate in Hindi.[citation needed] The couple had no children.[5]

He celebrated the royal tradition of Mysore Dasara by performing all the rituals which were conducted by his forefathers—the rulers of the Kingdom of Mysore. He conducted a khasagi (special) durbar during the Dasara festivities, where he ascended the golden throne at the Amba Vilas Hall of the Mysore Palace.[6][7] Although he never had any legal or official title related to his role as head of the royal family, people referred to him with respect and endearment as 'Maharaja'.

Religious beliefs

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Wadiyar said in an interview that he was an atheist for a brief period. He then resumed his Hindu theistic principles.[8]

Death

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On 10 December 2013, Wadiyar died from cardiac arrest aged 60 at Vikram Hospital, Bangalore.[9][10] He was cremated with full state honours at Madhu Vana, the burial ground of the royal family, at Mysore. On the day of his demise, the city of Mysore shut its business voluntarily in respect. The presiding chief minister Siddaramaiah declared a two-day mourning ceremony and a state government holiday. In addition, lightings of Mysore Palace were suspended for thirteen days as a symbol of grief.[11] He was survived and mourned by his wife Pramoda Devi.[12][13]

Wadiyar died without an heir; during the royal Dasara celebrations of 2014, his nephew Chaduranga Kantharaj Urs performed the rituals[14] while the "khasagi" (private) durbar was conducted by placing the "pattada katti" (royal sword) on the throne.[14][15][16][17]

On 23 February 2015, Pramoda Devi Wadiyar adopted Yaduveer Wadiyar as her son, making him the new head of the dynasty and posthumously Wadiyar's adoptive son.[1] She conducted his anointment ceremony, thereby delegating him to conduct and continue the royal family customs and traditions.

Legacy

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The Karnataka State Cricket Association, of which Wadiyar was elected president just a few days before his death,[18] named the Karnataka Premier League tournament after him.[19] The University of Mysore renamed the Gangotri Glades Cricket Ground, earlier known as the University Platinum Jubilee Cricket Stadium, in Srikantadatta Wadiyar's memory.[20] A sand sculpture of Srikantadatta Wadiyar was etched.[20] A wax sculpture of his like was also created by wax-sculptor Shreeji Bhaskaran.[21]

In 2014, India Posts issued a special cover depicting the private durbar of Srikantadatta Wadiyar.[22][23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/I-am-eager-to-find-an-heir-at-the-earliest-Pramoda-Devi-Wadiyar/articleshow/42696509.cms
  2. ^ Devi, Meenakshi (17 June 2007). "My daddy, His Highness, the Maharaja of Mysore". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 10 February 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  3. ^ Cricket Academy, Karnataka State. "KSCA". Profile. ksca.co.in. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  4. ^ Sampath, Vikram (17 December 2013). "A people's prince". Deccan Herald. No. Bangalore. Archived from the original on 20 January 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  5. ^ Aiyappa, Manu (14 December 2013). "Rs 40k cr at stake in legal battle for Palace Grounds". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 18 December 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  6. ^ "Grand celebration of tradition". The Hindu. 17 October 2012. Archived from the original on 8 July 2018.
  7. ^ "Private Durbar held by Scion of Mysore royal family – enarada.com". enarada.com. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014.
  8. ^ Srikantadatta Wadiyar passes away The Hindu. Retrieved 30 August 2021
  9. ^ "Wadiyar no more". Deccan Herald. 20 December 2013. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  10. ^ "Newly elected KSCA president Srikantadatta Wodeyar passes away". Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  11. ^ "Srikantadatta Wadiyar cremated". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 11 December 2013.
  12. ^ "ಮೈಸೂರು ಮಹಾರಾಜ ಶ್ರೀಕಂಠದತ್ತ ಒಡೆಯರ್ ವಿಧಿವಶ". 10 December 2013.
  13. ^ "Srikantadatta Wadiyar dies of cardiac arrest". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 10 December 2013. Archived from the original on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  14. ^ a b "Royal Sword takes king's place at Khas Durbar". Deccan Herald. 26 September 2014. Archived from the original on 11 October 2017.
  15. ^ "Durbar goes on without maharaja". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017.
  16. ^ "Thebangaloretimes.com". thebangaloretimes.com. Archived from the original on 29 May 2015.
  17. ^ Mangalore, Mangalore Today. "Royal Sword takes king's place at Khas Durbar". mangaloretoday.com. Archived from the original on 27 September 2014.
  18. ^ "Newly-elected KSCA president Wadiyar dies". Archived from the original on 26 December 2014.
  19. ^ "KPL set to take off again". Deccan Herald. 18 July 2014. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014.
  20. ^ a b "Gangotri Glades to Be Named after Srikanta Datta Wadiyar: Sand Sculpture of Wadiyar to Be One of the Attractions during Kpl". 25 August 2014. Archived from the original on 29 March 2015. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  21. ^ "Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar in wax: Pramoda Devi to unveil statue". 15 September 2014. Archived from the original on 15 September 2014.
  22. ^ Khan, Laiqh a (25 September 2014). "Special cover on royal durbar". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 8 July 2018.
  23. ^ "Special Cover – Royal Darbar of Srikanatadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar at Amba Vilas (Mysore Palace) 1953-2013 – by India Post | Covers | Indian Stamp Ghar". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar
Born: 20 February 1953
Titles in pretence
Preceded by — TITULAR —
Custodian of Royal House of Mysore
1974–2013
Reason for succession failure:
Kingdom abolished in 1950 		Succeeded by
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