the wishes of his people and merge his Kingdom with the Republic of India in 1950. Death Jayachamaraja Wadiyar died at the age of 55 on 23 September 1974 at his Bangalore Palace; he was the last living person who had been the premier king of a state with a 21-gun salute status in British India. He was succeeded by his son Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar as the head of the Royal Family and the ceremonial maharaja of Mysore. Family Jayachamaraja Wadiyar married Maharani Sathya Prema Kumari of Jigni province on 15 May 1938. The marriage failed; the maharani returned to and settled at Jaipur. There were no children by this marriage. On 6 May 1942, two years into his accession as maharaja, Jayachamaraja Wadiyar married Maharani Tripura Sundari Devi. The couple has six children: Maharajakumari Gayatri Devi (1946–1974), who predeceased her father due to cancer; Rajakumari Meenakshi Devi (b. 1951, d. 2015); Yuvaraja Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar (b. 1953, d. 2013); Rajakumari Kamakshi Devi (b.1954); Rajakumari Indrakshi Devi (b.1956); and Rajakumari Vishalakshi Devi Avaru (b. 1962, d. 2018). Both the queens died in 1982 within a span of 15 days. Honours and memorials Fellowships and memberships Fellow and president of the National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama, New Delhi, 1966 First chairman of the Indian Wildlife Board Honours Knight Grand Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India (GCSI), 1945 Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (GCB) in 1946 Honorary doctorates Doctor of Literature from the University of Queensland, Australia. Doctor of Literature from Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu. Doctor of Law from Banaras Hindu University Doctor of Laws, honoris causa from the University of Mysore, 1962 Memorials Hardinge Circle at Mysore was renamed Jayachamaraja Circle with the maharaja's life-size statue Jayanagar, Mysore, Jayanagar, Bangalore, and Jayachamaraja Road, Bangalore are named in the maharaja's honour Jaganmohana Palace at Mysore was renamed Sri Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery in his memory References External links Speech as a Freemason Profile at the Mysore Samachar Jaya Chamaraja, the last Maharaja Kings of Mysore Wadiyar dynasty Hindu monarchs Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India Indian knights 1919 births 1974 deaths Maharaja's College, Mysore alumni Rajpramukhs 20th-century Indian poets Indian Freemasons Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship