| Gayatri Devi | |
|---|---|
 Gayatri Devi in 1945 | |
| Maharani of Jaipur | |
| Tenure | 9 May 1940 – 1948 |
| Successor | Padmini Devi |
| Titular tenure | 1948 – 24 June 1970 |
| Born | 23 May 1919 London, England |
| Died | 29 July 2009 (aged 90) Jaipur, Rajasthan, India |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | Jagat Singh |
| House | Koch |
| Father | Maharaja Jitendra Narayan of Cooch-Behar |
| Mother | Princess Indira Raje of Baroda |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Gayatri Devi[1] (born Princess Gayatri Devi of Cooch Behar; 23 May 1919 − 29 July 2009) was the third Maharani consort of Jaipur from 1940 to 1949 through her marriage to Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II.[2] Following her husband's signature for the Jaipur State to become part of the Union of India and her step-son's assumption of the title in 1970, she was known as Maharani Gayatri Devi, Rajmata of Jaipur.[3]
She was born in the Hindu royal family of Cooch Behar. Her father was Maharaja Jitendra Narayan of Cooch Behar in West Bengal, and her mother was the Maratha Princess, Indira Raje of Baroda, the only daughter of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, and she was sister to Jagaddipendra Narayan, informally known as 'Bhaiya', who succeeded their father to the throne of Cooch Behar.[4]
Following India's independence and the abolition of the princely states, she became a successful politician in the Swatantra Party. Gayatri was also celebrated for her beauty and became something of a fashion icon in her adulthood. She served 12 years in Swatantra Party, during which she was a prominent critic of Indira Gandhi's government. After her departure from politics, she lived a quiet life in her large estate, spending time on hobbies and leisure.
She died on 29 July 2009 in Jaipur, at the age of 90. She was suffering from paralytic ileus and a lung infection. She left an estate estimated at £250 million, which was passed on to her grandchildren.[5]
- ^ "General Election, 1962 (Vol I)". Election Commission of India. p. 82. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
- ^ Karim, Fariha (31 July 2009). "Gayatri Devi: the last Maharani of Jaipur". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011.
- ^ Kanwar 2005, pp. 56–58; Moore 2005, pp. 78–80.
- ^ "New book says British did not want 'non-Aryan' Gayatri Devi to marry Raja of Jaipur". Indian Express. 21 August 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
- ^ "A battle of wills: Gayatri Devi's £250m legacy". The Independent. 19 September 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2019.