Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV

Who was Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV?

His Highness Maharaja Sri Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV GCSI, GBE was the ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Mysore from 1902 until his death in 1940. He is regarded as one of the most celebrated rulers among the Indian States when India was still under British rule. At the time of his death, he was also one of the world's wealthiest men, with a personal fortune estimated in 1940 to be worth $400 million which would be equivalent to $56 billion in 2010 prices. Later, during the regime of his nephew H. H. Maharaja Sri Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar, His Exalted Highness Lt. General Col. the Nizam of Hyderabad Sir Osman Ali Khan was the wealthiest man in the world. Nonetheless, the Royal House of Mysore stayed best in its subjects' welfare.

He was a philosopher-king, who was seen by Paul Brunton as living the ideal expressed in Plato's Republic. He has been compared to the Emperor Ashoka by the English statesman Lord Samuel. Mahatma Gandhi called him Rajarshi, or "saintly king", and his kingdom was described by his followers as Rama Rajya, an ideal kingdom akin to the rule of Lord Rama.

Krishna IV was the 24th ruler of the Wodeyar dynasty of Mysore that ruled over Mysore State from 1399 to 1950.