Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV - Rama Rajya

Rama Rajya

Close on the heels of the 1876-77 famine and the death of Maharaja Chamaraja Chamarajendra Wadiyar X, Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, still a boy of eleven, ascended the throne in 1895. His mother Maharani Kemparajammanniyavaru ruled as regent until Krishnaraja Wodeyar took over the reins on 8 February 1902. Krishna IV was invested as the Maharaja of Mysore, with full ruling powers, by the Viceroy Lord Curzon on August 8, 1902 at a ceremony at Jagan Mohan Palace (now the Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery).

Under his rule, Krishnaraja Wodeyar set about transforming Mysore into one of the most progressive and modern states of the time. Under him, Mysore blazed many trails in industry, education, agriculture and art. Much of the pioneering work in educational infrastructure that was put in place during this period was to serve Karnataka invaluably towards the end of the 20th century in consolidating its position as India's leading technology hub. The king was an accomplished musician, and like his predecessors, avidly patronised the development of the fine arts. For all these reasons, his reign is often described as the 'Golden age of Mysore'.

Krishna Raja Wadiyar was the first chancellor of Banaras Hindu University and University of Mysore. The latter was the first university chartered by an Indian State. The Indian Institute of Science at Bangalore which was initiated during His mother's tenure as Regent was started during his reign, with the gift, in 1911, of 371 acres (1.5 km²) of land and a donation of funds. He was a patron of Indian (both Carnatic and Hindustani) and Western Classical Music.

Mysore had been the first Indian state to have a Representative Assembly, a democratic forum in 1881. During Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV's reign, the Assembly was enlarged and became bicameral in 1907 with the creation of the Legislative Council, a house of elders which introduced many new legislation for the state. During his reign Mysore became the first Indian state to generate hydroelectric power in Asia and Mysore was the first Asian city to have street lights, which were first lit on August 5, 1905.

During his 39 year reign as Maharaja, Krishna IV had the following Prime Ministers (popularly known as Diwans):

1. P.N. Krishnamurthy (1901–06)
2. V.P. Madhava Rao (1906–09)
3. T. Ananda Rao (1909–1912)
4. Sir M. Visvesvaraya (1912–19)
5. Sir M. Kantha Raje Urs (1919–22)
6. Sir Albion Rajkumar Banerjee, ICS, (1922–26)
7. Sir Mirza Ismail (1926–41)

During his reign, he worked toward alleviating poverty and improving rural reconstruction, public health, industry and economic regeneration, education and the fine arts. Such were the strides that Mysore made during his period that Gandhiji was moved to remark that the Maharaja was a Rajarishi ("a saintly king"). Paul Brunton, the British philosopher and orientalist; John Gunther, the American author; and the British statesman, Lord Samuel, were also among those who heaped praise on the king. Lord Sankey said during the Round table conference that Mysore was "the best administered state in the world". Princes from other sections of India were sent to Mysore for administrative training. The Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya described the Raja as "Dharmic" and Lord Wellington echoed the sentiment by calling Mysore's industrial development "incredible".