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{{Short description|Maharani of Indore since 1961}}
{{infobox royalty
| name = Usha Devi
| title = [[Maharani]]
| succession = [[Maharani]] of [[Indore State|Indore]]
| reign = 5 December 1961{{sndash}}present
| predecessor = [[Yashwant Rao Holkar II]]<br><small>(as [[Maharaja]])</small>
| suc-type = {{nowrap|[[Heir apparent]]}}
| successor = Yeshwant Rao Holkar
| birth_name = Usha Raje
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1933|10|20|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Paris]], France
| spouse = {{Marriage|Satish Chandra Malhotra|1958}}
| issue = {{ubl|Ranjit Malhotra|Dalip Malhotra}}
| house = [[House of Holkar|Holkar]]
| father = [[Yashwant Rao Holkar II]]
| mother = [[Sanyogitabai Holkar of Indore|Sanyogita Bai Holkar]]
}}
'''Usha Devi''' (born 20 October 1933) has been [[Maharani]] of [[Indore State|Indore]] since 5 December 1961.

==Early life, family, and education==
Usha was born on 20 October 1933 in Paris to [[Yashwant Rao Holkar II]], the [[Maharaja]] of [[Indore State|Indore]], and his first wife, [[Sanyogitabai Holkar of Indore|Sanyogita Bai Holkar]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Soszynski |first=Henry |title=INDORE |url=http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/i/indore.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803185028/http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/i/indore.html |archive-date=2017-08-03 |access-date=2026-04-14 |website=members.iinet.net.au}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite book |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Twentieth_Century/6H4ZAAAAMAAJ |title=The Twentieth Century |date=1939 |pages=39 |language=en}}</ref> Her mother died on 13 July 1937 in [[Switzerland]] while she was 3 years and 8 months old.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":3" /> In 1938, her father built her a three-storey ultra-modern 25-bedroom mansion in [[Laguna Beach, California|Laguna Beach]], [[California]], at a cost of US$50,000.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Roy |first=Amita |date=2019-01-27 |title=Maharani Usha Raje Holkar - Unspoken Childhood, Part II |url=https://www.theindianquest.com/blog-details/Maharani-Usha-Raje-Holkar---Unspoken-Childhood-Part--II |access-date=2026-04-16 |website=The Indian Quest Digital}}</ref> But his second wife, Margaret Branyan, got this mansion in the divorce settlement in 1943.<ref name=":0" /> She received her education in the [[United States]] and [[England]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Narayanan |first=Edatata |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Link/2lrr5AvXoVwC |title=Link;: Indian Newsmagazine |date=1962 |publisher=United India Periodicals. |pages=47 |language=en}}</ref> While in the States, she studied at Hoover Elementary School in [[Santa Ana, California|Santa Ana]].<ref name=":0" /> She married Satish Chandra Malhotra in 1958, and the two have two children together: Ranjit Malhotra and Dalip Malhotra.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Income_Tax_Reports/_4c5AAAAIAAJ |title=The Income Tax Reports |date=1983 |publisher=Company Law Institute of India |pages=811 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Jones |first=Rodney W. |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Urban_Politics_in_India/Mxe6EAAAQBAJ |title=Urban Politics in India: Area, Power, and Policy in a Penetrated System |date=2023-04-28 |publisher=Univ of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-31917-2 |pages=51–52 |language=en}}</ref>

==Heir-apparent==
As her brother Richard Holkar was recognised neither by the [[British government of India|British government]] nor by their successive [[Government of India]] as the legitimate successor to their father, she was recognised as heir-apparent to her father by the Government of India in 1950.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Indian_and_Pakistan_Year_Book/_RodAQAAMAAJ |title=The Indian and Pakistan Year Book |date=1951 |publisher=Bennett, Coleman & Company |pages=763 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Jhala |first=Angma Dey |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Royal_Patronage_Power_and_Aesthetics_in/WGpECgAAQBAJ |title=Royal Patronage, Power and Aesthetics in Princely India |date=2015-10-06 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-31657-2 |pages=91 |language=en}}</ref> Following which, she was sent letters by the [[President of India]], the [[Prime Minister of India]], the States Ministry of India and many of the rulers of [[Madhya Pradesh]], who all acknowledged in their letters that she was the rightful heir to her father.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Nehru |first=Jawaharlal |url=http://archive.org/details/selectedworksofj0073nehr |title=Selected works of Jawaharlal Nehru. Second series |date=1984 |publisher=New Delhi : Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-19-561636-1 |pages=430–431}}</ref>

==Reign==
Usha acceded to the Indore throne on her father's death on 5 December 1961.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lilium |date=2022-11-30 |title=Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar II - Muses & the Beau Monde |url=https://www.liliums-compendium.co.uk/post/maharaja-yeshwant-rao-holkar-ii-muses-the-beau-monde |access-date=2026-04-17 |website=Liliums-compendium |language=en}}</ref> At first, the Government of India was reluctant to grant her succession recognition and considered her grandfather, [[Tukojirao Holkar III|Tukoji Rao Holkar III]], and others as potential claimants to the title, rank and dignity of ruler of Indore instead of her.<ref name=":1" /> Eventually, on account of the unsuitability of her grandfather and the unavailability of suitable claimants, the Government had to recognise her succession.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=1962-04-30 |title=To H.V. Pataskar: The Indore Succession (30 April 1962) |url=https://nehruarchive.in/documents/to-h-v-pataskar-the-indore-succession-30-april-1962-gd66l |access-date=2026-04-17 |website=The Nehru Archive |language=en-IN}}</ref> On 3 May 1962, the President of India formally recognised her as ruler of Indore with effect from 5 December 1961.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Bh%C4%81rata_K%C4%81_R%C4%81japatra/0iAPAQAAIAAJ |title=Bhārata Kā Rājapatra: The Gazette of India |date=1962 |publisher=Controller of Publications |pages=545 |language=en}}</ref> The Government had at the same time reduced her [[Privy purse in India|privy purse]] to Rs. 5,00,000 and made it clear that she will be known by the title and style of Her Highness Maharani Usha Devi of Indore.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite book |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Indian_Information/67EejS9cglAC |title=Indian Information |date=1962 |publisher=Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India |pages=297 |language=en}}</ref> The Government also made it clear that her succession is limited to her own lifetime and her children would not succeed her, and that her case is an exception which does not set a precedent for any other state.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":5" /> They also made it clear that after her the question of succession to the Indore throne will be open to the Government to consider.<ref name=":5" /> On 19 September 1970, the President of India derecognised her as the ruler of Indore.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Government of India |url=http://archive.org/details/in.gazette.central.w.1970-09-19.63161 |title=Union Government, Weekly, 1970-09-19, Part II-Section 3-Sub-Section(i), Ref. 1342 |date=1970-09-19 |pages=3349}}</ref>

== Later life ==
On 26 March 2026, a ceremony as per her wishes was held at the Malhari Martand Deosthan inside the [[Rajwada]], and her nephew, Yeshwant Rao Holkar, was appointed as her uttaradhikari, or successor.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2026-04-02 |title=Indore’s Holkar family holds ascension ceremony for young prince at Rajwada palace |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/indore/indores-holkar-family-holds-ascension-ceremony-for-young-prince-at-rajwada-palace/articleshow/129961197.cms |access-date=2026-04-17 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2026-04-01 |title=Royal Holkar Family hold Uttaradhikari ceremony in Indore |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/indore/royal-holkar-family-hold-uttaradhikari-ceremony-in-indore/articleshow/129945870.cms |access-date=2026-04-17 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

== Titles and styles ==
Usha has held numerous titles starting with her birth as the daughter of the [[Maharaja Holkar]], following her marriage, and upon her accession to the throne of Indore.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Encyclopaedia_Indica_Princely_States_in/K_YvAQAAIAAJ |title=Encyclopaedia Indica: Princely States in colonial India |date=1996 |publisher=Anmol Publications |isbn=978-81-7041-859-7 |pages=104 |language=en}}</ref> Each is listed below; where two dates are shown, the first indicates the date of receiving the award or title, and the second indicates the date of its loss or renunciation.
* 20 October 1933 – 1958: Maharajkumari Shrimant Usha Bai Raje Sahiba
* 1958 – 5 December 1961: Maharajkumari Shrimant Akhand Soubhagyavati Usha Bai Raje Sahiba
* 5 December 1961 – present: [[Her Highness]] Maharani Usha Devi of Indore

== References ==
<references />

{{DEFAULTSORT:Usha Raje}}
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Maharajas of Indore State]]
[[Category:Indian monarchs]]
[[Category:Indian Hindus]]
[[Category:People from Indore]]

Usha Raje - Revision history

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