32 Facts About Gayatri Devi

Gayatri Devi was born in the Hindu royal family of Cooch Behar.

Gayatri Devi served 12 years in Swatantra Party, during which she was a prominent critic of Indira Gandhi's government.

Gayatri Devi died on 29 July 2009 in Jaipur, at the age of 90.

Gayatri Devi was suffering from paralytic ileus and a lung infection.

Gayatri Devi was related to Keshub Chandra Sen through her paternal grandmother, Suniti Devi, who was the daughter of Keshub Chandra Sen.

Gayatri Devi's mother was Maratha Princess Indira Raje of Baroda, the only daughter of Maratha King, Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, an extremely beautiful princess and a legendary socialite.

Gayatri Devi studied at Glendower Preparatory School in London, Patha Bhavana of Visva-Bharati University, Shantiniketan, and later in Lausanne, Switzerland, where she travelled with her mother and siblings, then studied secretarial skills in London School of Secretaries; Brillantmont and Monkey Club London.

Gayatri Devi first met Sawai Man Singh II when she was 12 and he had come to Calcutta to play polo and stayed with their family.

Gayatri Devi married Sawai Man Singh II Bahadur on 9 May 1940.

Gayatri Devi was an excellent rider and an able Polo player.

Gayatri Devi was a good shot and enjoyed many days out on 'Shikars'.

Gayatri Devi was fond of cars and is credited with importing the first Mercedes-Benz W126, a 500 SEL to India which was later shipped to Malaysia.

Gayatri Devi had one child, Prince Jagat Singh of Jaipur, late Raja of Isarda, born on 15 October 1949, who was granted his uncle's fief as a subsidiary title.

Gayatri Devi was described by Beaton as one of the ten most beautiful women in the world.

In 2013 designer Sabyasachi made five limited edition saris presented at the Taj Mahal Palace in honour of Gayatri Devi's enduring style icon status.

Gayatri Devi started two schools in Jaipur, Maharani Gayatri Devi Girls' Public School established in 1943 and Maharaja Sawai Man Singh Vidyalaya, Jaipur which is a co-educational school in memory of her husband.

Gayatri Devi revived and promoted the dying art of blue pottery.

Gayatri Devi ran for Parliament in 1962 and won from Jaipur Lok Sabha constituency, winning 192,909 votes out of 246,516 cast.

Gayatri Devi continued to hold this seat in 1967 and 1971 as a member of the Swatantra Party founded by C Rajagopalachari, running against the Indian National Congress.

In 1965, during a meeting with Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, Gayatri Devi was again asked to join Congress.

Gayatri Devi was arrested under the COFEPOSA Act during the Emergency in July 1975 on the accusation of violating tax laws, and served 5 and a half months in Tihar Jail.

Gayatri Devi retired from politics and published her biography, A Princess Remembers, written by Santha Rama Rau, in 1976.

Gayatri Devi was the focus of the film Memoirs of a Hindu Princess, directed by Francoise Levie.

Gayatri Devi had one son, Prince Jagat Singh, Raja of Isarda, who was granted his paternal uncle's fief of Isarda as a subsidiary title.

Gayatri Devi was related to several erstwhile royal families in India.

Gayatri Devi was herself not from the Rajput community, but from a dynasty native to Cooch Behar in Bengal, and was daughter of Maharaja Jitendra Narayan and Maharani Indira Raje, who was daughter of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III and Maharani Chimnabai, belonging to the Gaekwad dynasty of the Marathas.

Maharani Sunity Gayatri Devi was the daughter of the Brahmo social reformer Keshab Chandra Sen.

Gayatri Devi had two brothers, Jagaddipendra Narayan and Indrajitendra Narayan of whom Jagaddipendra Narayan became the Maharaja of Cooch Behar in his infancy after the death of their father in 1922.

Further, her sister Ila Gayatri Devi was married into the Tripura royal family, and her younger sister, Maneka Gayatri Devi, was married into the royal family of Dewas State.

Gayatri Devi was admitted at Santokba Durlabhji Memorial hospital on 17 July 2009.

Gayatri Devi died at the age of 90 on 29 July 2009, reportedly due to lung failure.

Gayatri Devi's family has approached the Delhi High Court to regain 800 kg of gold which was taken away by the government in 1975 describing possession of the gold by Gayatri Devi to be illegal as per the Gold Control Act, 1968.