Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wadiyar (18 July1919 – 23 September 1974) was the last Maharaja of Kingdom of Mysore (1940-1950), as well as Rajapramukh of Mysore state (1950-1956). After the re-organisation of the states on linguistic basis, parts of Hyderabad , Bombay and Madras presidencies were merged with Myosre and he was appointed as the first Governor of Mysore state. He was a philosopher, musicologist, political thinker and philanthropist.

He was the only son of Yuvaraja Kanteerava Narasimharaja Wodeyar( brother of Maharaja Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV) and Yuvarani Kempu Cheluvajammanni.

He graduated from Maharaja's College, Mysore in 1938 bagging five awards and gold medals. Touring Europe for the first time in 1939, he visited many associations in London and got acquainted with many artists and scholars.

He ascended the throne of Mysore on 8 September 1940 after the demise of his uncle Maharaja Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar . He signed the instrument of accession with the Dominion of India on the eve of Indian independence. When India became a Republic on 26-1-1950, he merged his Kingdom with the Indian Republic. He became the Rajpramukh of Mysore State during 1950-1956. After the integration of the Mysore State with the neighboring Kannada-speaking parts of Madras and Hyderabad states, he became the first elected Governor of the enlarged Mysore State (now Karnataka) from 1956-1965 and later was elected Governor of Madras State (now Tamil Nadu) from 1964-1966.

He was a good horse-rider and a tennis player. He helped Mr. Krishnan to participate at Wimbledon. He was a great lover of music and literature. He had a special interest in Western music also. He helped the Western world discover the music of a little-known Russian composer, Nikolai Medtner (1880-1951), financed the complete recordings of his compositions, and founded the Medtner Society in 1949.

He had such great musicians adorning his Court like the Mysore Vasudevacharya, Veena Venkata Giriyappa, B. Devendrappa, V. Doreswamy iyengar, T. Chwodiah and many others.

He was a Shree Vidya Upasaka and composed 94 Carnatic Kruti's under the name Shree Vidya.

He wrote many books, including:

• The Quest for Peace: an Indian Approach, U. Of Minnesota, Minneapolis 1959.

• Dattatreya: the Way and the Goal, Allen and Unwin, London 1957.

• The Gita and Indian Culture, Orient Longmans, Bombay, 1963.

• Religion and Man, Bombay, Orient Longmans, 1965.

• Avadhuta: Reason and Reverence, Bangalore, Indian Institute of World Culture, 1958.

• An Aspect of Indian Aesthetics, U. Of Madras, 1956.

• "Puranas as the vehicles of India's philosophy of history", in a journal called urana, issue5,1963.

• "Advaita philosophy", published in Srngeri Souvenir Volume, 1965, pages 62-64.

• "Sri Suresvaracharya", Srngeri Souvenir Volume, Srirangam 1970, pages 1-8.

• " Sringeri and Shankara", pages 187-193, Sringeri Souvenir 1967.

He also got translated many classics from Sanskrit to Kannada under Jayachamaraja Grantha Mala including Rigveda (35 parts).

He was the recipient of :

1. D.Lit from University of Queensland, Australia, 2. Doctor of Law from Banaras Hindu University, 3. D. Lit from Annamalai University. 4. Licentiate of Guild Hall of Music, London. 5. Honorary Fellow of Trinity College of Music, London, in the year 1945. 6. GCSI in 1945 7. GCB in 1946.

He was also the first Chairman of the Indian Board for Wildlife and founder president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

He was married to Sathya Prema Kumari and Tripura Sundarammanni.

He had from his second wife Maharani tripurasundarammanni, six children:

1.Princess Gayatri Devi (1946-1974) 2.Princess Meenakshi Devi (b-1951) 3.Prince Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar (b-1953) 4.Princess Kamakshi Devi (b-1954) 5.Princess Indrakshi Devi (b-1956) 6.Princess Vishalakshi Devi (b-1962)

He died on 24-9-1974 at his Bangalore Palace.