President compares JC Wadiyar with Mahatma Gandhi

President Ram Nath Kovind compared the late Jayachamaraja (JC) Wadiyar, the last maharaja of the erstwhile Mysuru state, with Mahatma Gandhi.

He was speaking after inaugurating the birth centenary celebrations of JC Wadiyar at the Durbar Hall of the Mysuru Palace here on Thursday evening. He also unveiled the plaque of Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Centre for Higher Learning, being established by the University of Mysore (UoM).

Vedic inspiration

The President said that both Gandhi and JC Wadiyar were open to noble thought from all sides, inspired by the Vedic advise. “They were firmly grounded by the ethos and values of India, but blended Western modernity into it. JC Wadiyar was the most eminent monarch democrat. He was the first to sign the Instrument of Accession into the Indian Republic. He was an icon of transition of Independent India,” Kovind said.

“When the likes of JC Wadiyar emerged in India and in Mysuru, many such visionaries were born. The late President S Radhakrishnan also described JC Wadiyar as a great Aaradhak (devotee) and a Saadhak (achiever). The land was such that there were examples like Jagajyothi Basaveshwara (Basavanna) who propounded democracy in the 12th century itself. The youth should read the writings of JC Wadiyar and emulate his values and vision,” the President said.

Visionary

“JC Wadiyar was ahead of his times and his contributions are relevant even today. Besides being an administrator, philosopher, political thinker, musician, writer and a great human being, JC Wadiyar was an entrepreneur.

“His initiation of the Hindustan Aircraft in 1950 in now India’s proud Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. His gift of the Cheluvamba Mansion now houses CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute. The National Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases is his contribution to the nation,” Kovind said.

“JC Wadiyar was also concerned about ecology. He was the first president of the National Board for Wildlife,” the President pointed out.

Governor Vajubhai R Vala released the book ‘Srividya Sankeerthana Sudhalahari’ in Kannada and Devanagari script, which contains both literature and musical notes of 94 Carnatic classical music compositions of JC Wadiyar.

Music

Madras Engineering Group and Centre, Bengaluru; Madras Regimental Centre, Wellington, Ooty; Maratha Light Infantry Regiment, Belgavi; 61st Cavalry, Jaipur; Karnataka and Kerala Sub-Area, Bengaluru; KSRP-Mounted Police, Mysuru; Karnataka State Police Band, Mysuru; and ASC Centre and College, Bengaluru; played the music on the occasion. Raghu Dixit will perform on the Palace courtyard (forecourt) on Friday at 6.30 pm.