Pramodadevi may name royal heir soon

 The prolonged suspense over the successor to the Wadiyar dynasty is likely to end soon.

Pramodadevi Wadiyar, wife of the late royal scion Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, is expected to formally name the royal heir this month.

Sources said that Pramodadevi is likely adopt one of the grandnephews of Srikantadatta Wadiyar as his successor on February 23. The adoption ceremony is expected to be held three days after the 62nd birth anniversary of Srikantadatta Wadiyar.

Pramodadevi had remained tight-lipped over the successor issue. During her last press meet in August 2014, she had maintained that choosing a successor was linked to the possession of the Amba Vilas Palace and had urged the State government to withdraw the Mysore Palace (Acquisition and Transfer) Act, 1998.

Her demands had cast a cloud over the Dasara celebrations, as a successor was essential for the private Durbar.  Even though no successor was appointed, Srikantadatta’s nephew, Chaduranga Kantharaj Urs, performed the last rites of the former and also presided over the rituals associated with Dasara.

Even though Kantharaj Urs was earlier rumoured to succeed Srikantadatta, there were reports that Pramodadevi would designate one of her husband’s grandnephews as his successor.

Pramodadevi is expected to adopt Yaduveer Gopalraj Urs, who is the grandnephew of Srikantadatta.

Yaduveer, who is currently pursuing his education in the United States, is the son of Swaroop Anand Urs and Leeladevi Urs, elder sister of Chaduranga Kantharaj Urs.

Kantharaj and Leeladevi are the children of Gayathri Devi, elder sister of Srikantadatta.