Yaduveer Urs is new Mysore scion

Ending speculations, 22-year-old Yaduveer Gopal Raj Urs was on Thursday announced as the successor to the late scion of the Mysore royal family Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar.

In keeping with the traditions of the royal family, Yaduveer will be adopted in a day-long ceremony at the Amba Vilas Palace here on February 23.

Following this, Yaduveer will be renamed “Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar”. The coronation ceremony will be held before the 2015 Dasara.

Srikantadatta Wadiyar and wife Pramoda Devi were childless, necessitating the adoption of an heir. Srikantadatta Wadiyar died on December 10, 2013, aged 60.

Pramoda Devi announced the name of Yaduveer as the “adopted son-designate” at a press conference here. She clarified that Yaduveer was chosen through consensus.

“The choice and decision has my beloved husband Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar’s approval and blessings, as I feel he is with me in spirit,” Pramoda Devi said.

However, when asked what made Yaduveer the most suitable choice, she said: “It was a private matter. As the choice was left to me, I made the decision conforming with other members of the family.”

“Yaduveer belongs to the Bettada Kote family to which I also belong to, which has had a long association with the palace for over 200 years. Pramoda Devi also denied that adopting a 22-year-old youth would be in violation of the law. Norms stipulate adoption of boys who are less than 15 years old.

She said the precedent was set in the past by the royal family. Yaduveer’s father Swarup Anand Gopal Raj Urs said: “It was at the end of the day Yaduveer’s decision to accept the offer. He is happy.”

Yaduveer is the grand nephew of the late scion of Mysore Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar. Born on March 24, 1992, Yaduveer is the only son of Swarup Anand Gopal Raj Urs and Tripurasundari Devi, reports DHNS from Mysuru.

Tripurasundari Devi is the eldest daughter of the late Maharajakumari Gayatri Devi, the eldest sister of Srikantadatta Wadiyar and the daughter of the 25th and last Wadiyar ruler Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar.

 At present, he is studying BA in Economics and English in Boston, USA and will complete his graduation in May. Yaduveer did his early education at Vidya Niketan School and Canadian International School, Bengaluru.

He is fluent in Kannada and has a penchant for music. He plays the veena and guitar. His other interests include cricket, reading and writing.