Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma Thiruvadi | |||||||||
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Maharajah of Travancore & Rajpramukh Of Travancore-Cochin | |||||||||
Darbari dress of Maharajah
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Reign | 7 March 1924- 1 July 1949 | ||||||||
Coronation | 7 August 1924 | ||||||||
Predecessor | Moolam Thirunal | ||||||||
Regent | Pooradam Thirunal Sethu Lakshmi Bayi (1924–31) | ||||||||
Successor | Monarchy abolished | ||||||||
Born |
Travancore |
7 November 1912||||||||
Died | 20 July 1991 Thiruvananthapuram |
(aged 78)||||||||
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Thrippappoor Keezhperur Swaroopam. | Venad Swaroopam | ||||||||
Father | Ravi Varma of Kilimanoor | ||||||||
Mother | Amma Maharani Moolam Thirunal Sethu Parvathi Bayi | ||||||||
Religion | Hinduism | ||||||||
Occupation | Maharajah of Travancore, Former life time Trustee of Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Governor (Rajpramukh) of Travancore-Cochin State, Chairman of Aspinwall Ltd., Founder & First Chancellor of University of Travancore (Kerala University) (1937–56), Life Member of Senate of Andhra University, Patron-in-Chief Trivandrum Tennis Club (TTC) 1938–91, Patron of Sri Swati Tirunal Sangita Sabha 1942–91, Patron of Travancore Athletic Association, Patron Travancore Boy Scouts Association, Trivandrum Friend-in-Need Society, Patron Sri Mulam Club (Trivandrum) 1940–91, Trivandrum Club, Rama Varma Club (RVC) (Kollam) etc. |
Full name | |
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Sree Padmanabhadasa Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma | |
Regnal name | |
Major General H. H. Sree Padmanabhadasa Vanchipala Sir Balarama Varma III Manney Sultan Maharajah Raja Ramaraja Bahadur Shamsher Jang, Maharajah of Travancore, GCSI, GCIE |
Sree Padmanbhadasa Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma GCSI GCIE (7 November 1912 – 20 July 1991), popularly known as Sree Chithira Thirunal, was the last ruling Maharaja of the Princely State of Travancore, in southern India until 1949 and later the Titular Maharajah of Travancore until 1991. Sree Chithira Thirunal was the eldest son of Junior Maharani of Travancore, H.H. Sree Padmanabhasevini Vanchipala Dyumani Rajarajeshwari Maharani Moolam Thirunal Sethu Parvathi Bayi, and Sri Pooram Nal Ravi Varma Koyi Thampuran of the Royal House of Kilimanoor. He was privately educated, and became the Maharajah of Travancore, at the age of 12, upon the death of his maternal great uncle, the then Maharajah of Travancore Sree Moolam Thirunal, on August 7, 1924. He reigned under the regency of his maternal aunt, Sethu Lakshmi Bayi (1924–31), until he came of age and was invested with full ruling powers on November 6, 1931.
The period of Sree Chithira Thirunal's reign witnessed many-sided progress. He enacted the now famous Temple Entry Proclamation in 1936, established the University of Travancore (now the University of Kerala) in 1937. The Women Studies Journal Samyukta reports that, 40% of the Travancore's revenue was set apart for education, during the reign of Sree Chithira Thirunal.Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, Travancore Public Transport Department renamed Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, Pallivasal Hydro-electric Project, Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore(FACT) etc. were established by him. Historians like A. Sreedhara Menon credit him for the industrialization of Travancore as well.