Posted on: 8 September 2014

Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV, Maharaja of Mysore, c.1906

Toned silver print, by Barton of Bangalore, signed by the sitter in the image, mounted on card, pencilled caption on verso.

Colonel Maharaja Sri Sir Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV (Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar) GCSI, GBE (4 June 1884 – 3 August 1940, Bangalore Palace) was the ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Mysore from 1894 until his death in 1940. 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 US$400 million, equivalent to $56 billion at 2010 prices.

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 1899 to 1950.
- Wiki

Image credit: Bonhams


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During his reign, he worked toward alleviating poverty and improving rural reconstruction, public health, industry and economic regeneration, education and the fine arts. Such were the strides that Mysore made during his period that Gandhiji was moved to remark that the Maharaja was a Rajarishi ("a saintly king").[6] Paul Brunton, the British philosopher and orientalist; John Gunther, the American author; and the British statesman, Lord Samuel, were also among those who heaped praise on the king. Lord Sankey said during the Round table conference that Mysore was "the best administered state in the world". Princes from other sections of India were sent to Mysore for administrative training. The Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya described the Raja as "Dharmic" and Lord Wellington echoed the sentiment by calling Mysore's industrial development "incredible". - Wiki

What did the people say ?

He Patronized Swami Vivekananda and Painter Ravi Verma, had M. Visvesvaraya, K. Seshadri Iyer , Mirza Ismail as Dewans. Indian Institute of Science, Krishnaraj Sagar Dam, Vrindaban Gardens came up during rulership.

I guess it should be "1899" and not "1399"?

I have seen some fantastic Chaduranga game manuscripts sold at Christie's bearing the embossed insignia of Rajah of Mysore. Was he the one to commission them?

Jaina Mishra that would have to be KRWodeyar 3rd, the wodeyar who succeeded Tipu. KRW 3 not only loved playing board games but also invented a few new ones.

king of wealth.