Maharani Vani Vilas - Queen of Mysuru

Once a upon time in the Royal city of Mysuru, Maharani Vani Vilas and her husband Maharaja Chamarajendra Wodeyar lived a peaceful happy life.

For a short period they enjoyed marital bliss and raising their five children, two sons and three daughters. But fate had other plans and tragedy struck the royal household Maharaja Chamarajendra Wodeyar X passed away.

Their oldest son Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV was only 10 years, so Maharani was proclaimed the Regent

When she took over the kingdom which was grief sticking by the death of the King and a severe bubonic plague struck the capital Mysore city, reducing the population in half. ???

In this state of chaos, Maharani Vani Vilasa, took up the huge task and through her resilience, she served the state with utmost efficiency, and lead her people into prosperity—creating a legacy of her own.

-????????She appointed a strong council to ensure smooth functioning of all legislative, Administrative and executive tasks.?

-????????She tripled the spending on healthcare and established multiple hospitals to ensure that the plague was under control. Bengaluru’s?Victoria Hospital?was built during this time to combat the challenges of the plague

-????????To enforce maternal healthcare, she also implemented several pre and post-natal programs care for women and opened several hospitals and dispensaries.

-????????A true feminist and believer of women education in 1902 she established 235 public schools for girls. The Maharani's Arts and Commerce College for Women, Maharani's Science College for Women established by her still stands proudly.?

-????????Asia’s first hydroelectric project was commissioned at Shivanasamundram supplied electricity to Mysuru, Bengaluru and the Kolar Gold Mines.

-????????She sold family jewellery to fund construction of Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) dam across river Cauvery in Mysore.

-????????Vanivilasa Sagar Dam in Chitradurga district irrigation project once used to provide irrigation facilities to around 25,000 acres

-????????The Maharani provided 372 acres of land to set up the Indian Institue of Science (IISc) India’s top Research University.

-????????Vani Vilas Water Works - Drinking water to Mysuru from Cauvery and Bengaluru was provided from the Hesaraghatta Reservoir.

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When Mysuru was in state of chaos, sorrow and dealing with an epidemic, Maharani Kempananjammanni Vani Vilas Sannidhana with her grit, boldness and integrity came in as the “Girl in Shining Armor” and rescued the kingdom…hmmm ‘Queendom’ ??.

And everyone lived happily every after.

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Ref- https://karnatakahistory.blogspot.com/2013/02/maharani-kempananjammanni-vani-vilas.html

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/7207024.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

https://www.thebetterindia.com/245219/mysuru-bengaluru-history-queen-kempananjammani-vani-vilasa-cauvery-water-electrcity-education-india-gop94/

?https://connect.iisc.ac.in/2019/03/who-was-kempananjammani-vani-vilasa-sannidhana/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki