Remembering His Highness Sri Kantirava Narasimha Raja Wadiyar Bahadur

Remembering His Highness Sri Kantirava Narasimha Raja Wadiyar Bahadur, G.C.I.E., the late Yuvaraja of Mysore, born on the 5th of June 1888 in Mysore.

Often lacking mention due to walking in the enormous shadow of his brother, H.H. Sri Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV, The Maharaja Of Mysore, the Yuvaraja was no less important in the development of The Kingdom of Mysore into the model state it became.

His thought and insight was instrumental in constructing many of the reforms and policies implemented.

This is what His Late Excellency, The President of India, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan had to say of him:

“I had several opportunities of meeting His late Highness the Yuvaraja Narasimharaja Wadiyar Bahadur of Mysore.

The first impression he made on me was one of natural friendliness and warmth. His brother His late Highness the Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar gave one the impression of a remote but enchanting Spirit, who lived on hidden heights, even when dealing with the concrete problems of the State.

One felt that he was giving to society not more than a fraction of himself. Not so the Yuvaraja. He had the heart of a child and made you feel quite at home in a moment.

He would fall into conversation with anyone he met without a touch of aloofness or constraint.
There was no sense of pride or superiority. His inborn grace and unassuming dignity endeared him to all.

He had a profound desire to raise the general condition of the country and the status of women. Knowledge obtained, by wide travel tended to purify and sharpen his perception of the Indian trouble.

His speeches bear witness to his throbbing love for India and intense loyalty to civilised Values. In them art and politics, caste and democracy, the malaise of our country find just and humane illustration.

Life gave him so much ambition and so little help in realizing it.
In several moods I found him examining the purpose of life and seeking in various forms to live it as it should be lived.

On the whole he was an energetic, quick-witted, rather lonely, man who concealed his feelings beneath an air of gaiety. In travel he found his refuge from reality.

He lived most fully in the world of his own making. It will be long before anything will dim his endearing charm and understanding mind.”