Contributions of Wadiyars for people's welfare remembered

'Praja Prathinidhi Sabha introduced in 1881'

Pramoda Devi, wife of erstwhile Mysuru royal family scion Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, on Saturday said it was her ancestors who sowed the seeds of democracy in India.

 
“Chamaraja Wadiyar X was the first in the country to introduce Praja Prathinidhi Sabha, the people’s representative council, in the year 1881 itself,” she recalled at a seminar on ‘Development Works Executed by the Wadiyars in the Mysuru State’, organised by Adichunchanagiri mutt, Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar Memorial Committee and S B Education Trust at the Kalamandira named after Nalvadi, in the city.

“The contributions of the Wadiyar kings for the overall development of the districts in the erstwhile princely state of Mysuru are commendable. Their contributions to irrigation and agriculture are significant. Nalvadi (Krishnaraja Wadiyar) bifurcated the then undivided Mysuru district, to create Mandya district — with all necessary infrastructure — in view of efficient administration,” said Pramoda Devi.  

“Asia’s first hydro electric power generation plant was established at Shimsha under his rule. By constructing the KRS Dam, he irrigated almost all parts of the new district,” she added.

“Besides creating special facilities to encourage spread of education among girls and the downtrodden, the Wadiyars gave a boost to higher education by establishing the only university ever instituted by any royal family in India, a century ago,” she said.

“Apart from creating market for agriculture produce, the industries established during their reign created job opportunities. They were the first to provide reservation in jobs for the backward classes by implementing the recommendations of the Miller’s committee report,” she observed.

Critic Narahalli Balasubramanya said Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar had all the qualities as expected by Plato, to be an ideal king. “Rational thinker Lord Samuel had described Mysuru as a model state in the whole world during the Round Table Conference held in London. Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar was a saint. He accorded equal importance for development of both villages and towns,” he said.

“Today’s politicians should emulate Nalvadi. Even if they achieve 10 per cent of Nalvadi’s contributions, Karnataka would once again become a welfare state,” he said.

Prof M S Anitha, social activist Sharada Rameshraju and writer T C Poornima were presented with awards. Retired IAS officer B R Jayaramaraja Urs, former Union minister M V Rajasekharan, CMC President Lokesh, Additional Deputy Commissioner B R Poornima, writer Latha Rajasekhar, District Kannada Sahitya Parishat president Meera Shivalingaiah, Registrar of Music University Y S Siddegowda and SB Education Trust chairman B Shivalingaiah were present.
DH News Service