Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV

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Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV bigraphy, stories - King of Mysore

Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV : biography

June 4, 1884 – August 3, 1940

A photograph of Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV taken on February 2, 1895, a few months before his eleventh birthday.

Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV GCSI, GBE (June 4, 1884 – August 3, 1940, Bangalore Palace), also known popularly as Nalwadi Krishna Raja Wadiyar was the ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Mysore from 1902 until his death in 1940. He is regarded as one of the most celebrated rulers among the Indian States when India was still under British rule. At the time of his death, he was also one of the world’s wealthiest men, with a personal fortune estimated in 1940 to be worth $400 million which would be equivalent to $56 billion in 2010 prices.Current Biography 1940, p833

He was a philosopher-king, who was seen by Paul Brunton as living the ideal expressed in Plato’s Republic. He has been compared to the Emperor Ashoka by the English statesman Lord Samuel. Mahatma Gandhi called him Rajarshi, or "saintly king", and his kingdom was described by his followers as Rama Rajya, an ideal kingdom akin to the rule of Lord Rama.

Krishna IV was the 24th ruler of the Wodeyar dynasty of Mysore that ruled over Mysore State from 1399 to 1950.

Mahatma Gandhi and the Maharaja

Mahatma Gandhi wrote in Navajivan dated February 8, 1925: "His Highness the Maharaja of Mysore has taken up spinning. This news cannot but gladden the hearts of those who look upon it as sacred duty … I congratulate the Maharaja and hope that he will not give up till the end of his life this activity which he has taken up, It will do immense good to him and his subjects."

Mahatma Gandhi was a state guest of the Maharaja in 1927 and 1936. He stayed at Nandi Hill to recuperate from ill health. During 1927, the State was celebrating the Silver Jubilee of the coronation of the Maharaja. Gandhi was invited to attend the function. Gandhi sent a letter to the Maharaja on August 5, 1927, in which he wrote: "Dear Friend, It has been a matter of deep joy to me to learn wherever I have gone, nothing but praise of your benevolence and purity. I shall pray on Monday for the due fulfilment of all your noblest wishes."

Rama Rajya

Close on the heels of the 1876-77 famine and the death of Maharaja Chamaraja Chamarajendra Wadiyar X, Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, still a boy of eleven, ascended the throne in 1895. His mother Maharani Kemparajammanniyavaru ruled as regent until Krishnaraja Wodeyar took over the reins on 8 February 1902.Rama Jois, M. 1984. Legal and constitutional history of India ancient legal, judicial and constitutional system. Delhi: Universal Law Pub. Co. p597 Krishna IV was invested as the Maharaja of Mysore, with full ruling powers, by the Viceroy Lord Curzon on August 8, 1902 at a ceremony at Jagan Mohan Palace (now the Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery).

Under his rule, Krishnaraja Wodeyar set about transforming Mysore into one of the most progressive and modern states of the time. Under him, Mysore blazed many trails in industry, education, agriculture and art. Much of the pioneering work in educational infrastructure that was put in place during this period was to serve Karnataka invaluably towards the end of the 20th century in consolidating its position as India’s leading technology hub. The king was an accomplished musician, and like his predecessors, avidly patronised the development of the fine arts.Pranesh (2003), p. 162 For all these reasons, his reign is often described as the ‘Golden age of Mysore’.

Krishna Raja Wadiyar was the first chancellor of Banaras Hindu University and University of Mysore. The latter was the first university chartered by an Indian State. The Indian Institute of Science at Bangalore which was initiated during His mother’s tenure as Regent was started during his reign, with the gift, in 1911, of 371 acres (1.5 km²) of land and a donation of funds. He was a patron of Indian (both Carnatic and Hindustani) and Western Classical Music.

Mysore had been the first Indian state to have a Representative Assembly, a democratic forum in 1881. During Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV’s reign, the Assembly was enlarged and became bicameral in 1907 with the creation of the Legislative Council, a house of elders which introduced many new legislation for the state. During his reign Mysore became the first Indian state to generate hydroelectric power in Asia and Mysore was the first Asian city to have street lights, which were first lit on August 5, 1905.