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 Marthanda Varma is survived by two children, Padmanabha Varma and Parvati Devi. The body has been placed at the Levy Hall, situated adjacent to the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, for the public to pay homage. The funeral will take place in the premises of Kowdiar Palace at 2.30 pm, palace sources said. His Royal Highness was hospitalised in early December 2013 following gastro-intestinal bleeding. He died of cardiac arrest at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on 16 December 2013. The state government declared a public holiday on 16 December as a mark of respect to him. His wife predeceased him. Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma (22 March 1922 - 16 December 2013) was the titular Maharaja of Travancore. He is the younger brother of the last ruling monarch of the Kingdom of Travancore, Maharajah Chitra Thirunal Rama Varma. Born as the younger son of Maharani Sethuparvathi Bayi and Ravi Varma Koyi Thamapuran on March 22, 1922, Marthanda Varma was educated in the palace by a group of 14 tutors in various subjects. He later graduated from the then Travancore University with Economics, Politics and History as specialisations in 1943. He was the recipient of the Moncombu Aandi Iyer Gold Medal for the best student in Sanskrit from the varsity. He was respected for his erudition. Uthradom Thirunal became head of the Travancore royal family after his elder brother and the last princely ruler of Travancore Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma passed away in 1991. Uthradom Thirunal, although having no real administrative power, was a popular figure in Travancore, and had daily engagements with regards to bestowing awards and opening functions. He also maintained his ritual position at the Padmanabhaswamy Temple as the custodian of the temple, and was involved in events relating to this. Uthradom Thirunal joined the firm of Plymouth and Company at Bangalore in 1952, working there and also studying the functioning of industries at a basic level. He is the Chief Scout of the regional Boy Scout troop, and was also a patron of local hospitals and charities. He married Shrimati Radha Devi, daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Krishnan Gopinath Pandalai, MB, CM, FRCS, LRCP, late IMS, sometime Supt. of the Government General Hospital, Madras. He has a son, Anantha Padmanabhan and a daughter, Parvathi Devi. Uthradom Thirunal resided at Pattom Palace, Trivandrum. A staunch vegetarian and teetotaller, he did not drink coffee or tea and hated smoking. A person with varied interests, he has to his credit several trophies won as an amateur horse rider at various places in the country. A keen sportsman, he used to play tennis, hockey, golf, football and polo. An ardent lover of photography, Marthanda Varma learned photography in 1934 when his brother, Sri Chithira Tirunal Marthanda Varma, presented him with a camera. The Roliflex camera gifted to him by his brother was among his prized possessions. Marthanda Varma had a collection of about 5000 negatives. His most favourite hobby is motoring. He has to his credit of driving more than 40 lakh miles in his Mercedes Benz 180 D and through crowded roads. He has won several medals from the Benz company at Stuttgart. Mathrubhumi Books released a book named Thrippadi Daanam written by Uma Maheshwari featuring the biography of Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma. The book starts from the year 925 ME (1750 AD) when Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma surrendered his country to Sree Padmanabha through an act referred to as Thrippadi Daanam. The book also covers art- cultural lifestyle of Travancore rulers. |