Yeshwantrao Holkar II

Maharajadhiraj Raj Rajeshwar Sawai Yeshwant Rao II Holkar XIV Bahadur (6September 19085December 1961) was the Maharaja of Indore (Holkar State, now in present-day Madhya Pradesh) belonging to the Holkar dynasty of the Marathas. With his first wife, Sanyogita Bai Sahib Holkar of Indore, he became known for a life of elegance and extravagance in the 1920s and 30s.

Biography He was educated at the Cheam School, Charterhouse and Christ Church, Oxford University.

He succeeded his father Tukojirao Holkar III, who abdicated in his favour on 26 February 1926. He was installed on the throne on 11 March 1926 under a regency council. He was invested with full powers on 9 May 1930. On 1 January 1935 he was made a Knight of the Order of the Indian Empire. He established a legislative council for Indore state and created a cabinet with a prime minister and three ministers. K.S. Fitze, a British resident of Indore, noted that Holkar spent considerable time abroad. Christie's art director Amin Jaffer considers this an example of his Western influences.

On 11 August 1947 he signed the Instrument of Accession to India. Indore State was included in the Union of Madhya Bharat on 28 May 1948. He served as the second Rajpramukh of this new state until 31 October 1956. He later worked with the United Nations, though details of his role remain unclear.

He died in a Mumbai hospital on 5 December 1961.

Manik Bagh In 1930 he commissioned the construction of the Manik Bagh ("Jewel Garden") palace in Indore. The architect was Eckart Muthesius (1904–1989) from Germany. Holkar was at a young age at that time, as was Muthesius, who was only a few years older. The work outside and inside was done in the late Art Deco and international style of modern architecture.

The Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris had an exhibition in 2019 called "Moderne Maharajah" dedicated to Yashwant Rao Holkar II and Manik Bagh, featuring some of the interior pieces such as the aluminium bed by Louis Sognot and Charlotte Alix.

Manik Bagh later became a branch of the Indian Customs and Central Excise department.

Marriage

In 1924 he married Sanyogita Bai Sahib Holkar of Indore. Holkar and his wife Maharani Sanyogita studied in England. Together, they traveled extensively across Europe and were photographed by Man Ray in 1927. Two sets of double portraits were painted by Bernard Boutet de Monvel in 1929 and 1934.

Sanyogita died in 1937 at the age of 22 from complications after an appendectomy in Switzerland. After their divorce, he married Euphemia "Fay" Watt, of Los Angeles (also known as Lady Fay Holkar) in 1943.

He was survived by his two children: with Maharani Sanyogita Devi: Maharani Usha Raje of Indore who inherited the titles and rights. with Lady Fay Holkar: Maharajkumar Shrimant Shivaji Rao "Richard" Holkar (who has two children: Sabrina Sanyogita Holkar Ellis and Yashwantrao "Randall" Holkar III).

Honours Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE), 1935 King George V Silver Jubilee Medal, 1935 King George VI Coronation Medal, 1937