23-year-old crowned maharaja of Indian royal dynasty

E-Paper | May 03, 2026

NEW DELHI: A 23-year-old economics graduate was crowned on Thursday maharaja of a centuries-old royal family in southern India in an elaborate ceremony involving 40 priests and attended by 1,000 well-heeled guests.

At 15 temples spread throughout opulent palace grounds in the city of Mysore, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wodeyar was inducted as the 27th head of the Wodeyar dynasty which once ruled swathes of southern India in a two day event.

Wodeyar, a recent economics and English graduate from Boston University, succeeded Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wodeyar who died in 2013 of a heart attack.

Srikantadatta was childless and did not name an heir but his widow Pramoda Devi adopted the young Wodeyar, a relative, at a ceremony in February.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2015

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Factual

May 29, 2015 07:39am

Mysore kingdom was one of the most progressive one. Good luck to Mr Yaduveer and request him to keep more close to general public. With strong democracy there is no meaning to the kingdom anymore.

Recommend 0

Sanjay Guha

May 29, 2015 10:47am

The Maharajas of Mysore ruled the Mysore state far better than elected governments. In the pre-independence days they had the patronage of the British. So progressive were the Maharajas of Mysore that they built colleges for men and women, they were the first to launch a radio station in the country. They built dams and initiated irrigation projects. South karnataka owes much of its prosperity to this dynasty.

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Shobhit

May 29, 2015 12:08pm

@Factual He is a symbolic king now. Although they an enormous amount of wealth that is inherited through generations, they don't really have any administrative or executive powers. General public is very affectionate towards the Mysore Kings though, you can see that during Dusshehra.

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TrollMeNot

May 29, 2015 01:59pm

This is a dynasty said be direct descendants of Pandavas of Mahabharath. These people have done a lot for the state of Mysore (present Karnataka). They built great dams, universities etc which are still the major pillars of the state. If I compare 70 years after and before independence, the kingdom has done a lot for the state despite under British control.

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srini

May 29, 2015 02:16pm

Mysore kingdom continued the tradition and the cultural richness from Vijayanagar kingdom. Though the king does not rule the public, he is the symbol of the past tradition. The public still respect the kingdom. One can see the reflection of this during the Dussara festival.

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