Sir,

In the article titled “Poet Laureate Kuvempu and Prof. N.A. Nikam’s role in building Manasagangothri” (SOM dated Aug. 4), there is an error. It is mentioned that Maharaja Kumari Jaya Lakshammanni Avaru is the wife of Sardar Basava Raja Urs. This is factually wrong.

In fact, Maharaja Kumari Jaya Lakshammanni Avaru, eldest daughter of Maharaja HH Chamarajendra Wadiyar (1868-1894), was married to her maternal uncle Sirdar M. Kantharaja Urs (Dewan of Mysore, 1918-1922). Their only child, Raja Kumari Leelavathi was married to Sirdar K. Basava Raja Urs (brother of Kannada writer Chaduranga).

Sirdar K. Basava Raja Urs adopted Sirdar K.B. Ramachandra Raj Urs who later married Maharaja Kumari Gayatri Devi,  eldest daughter of Maharaja HH Sri Jaya Chamaraja Wadiyar. Sirdar Ramachandra Raj Urs’ eldest daughter is Raja Kumari Tripura Sundari Devi.  Her eldest son Yaduveer Gopala Raj Urs was adopted by Maharani Pramoda Devi after the demise of Maharaja Srikanta Datta Narasimha Raja Wadiyar.

– R. Rajachandra, Bengaluru, 5.8.2018

Note: It is surprising that in spite of the University of Mysore (UoM) celebrating its centenary, it took nearly one hundred years for a comprehensive book on the history of the University to come out.

The book titled ‘An Era of Enlightenment – One Hundred Years of University of Mysore,’ written by Prof. B. Sheik Ali, former Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore and Goa Universities, was released during former President Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to Mysuru for the inauguration of the year-long centenary celebrations of the University of Mysore. Prof. Sheik Ali has also written extensively about the history of the University during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The students of History themselves are not aware of the rich legacy of the University and how much effort went into making of the University as they are not taught the subject in the classrooms. Hence, when any reference has to be made while writing such pieces there is no authentic source and it is high time the UoM’s Department of Studies in History embarked on the research to throw light on many such interesting details.

– Editor

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