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Last edited April 18, 2026

Sanyogita Bai Holkar
Maharani
refer to caption
Portrait, 1935
Maharani of Indore
Tenure26 February 1926Template:Sndash13 July 1937
BornChandraprabha Raje
(1915-12-10)10 December 1915
Kolhapur
Died13 July 1937(1937-07-13) (aged 21)
Samedan, Switzerland
Spouse
Issue
FatherDattajirao Narayanrao
Education
2=

Sanyogita (born Chandraprabha Raje, later Sanyogita Bai Holkar; 10 December 1915 – 13 July 1937) was an Indian socialite and the first wife of Yashwant Rao Holkar II.[1] She served as Maharani of Indore from her husband’s accession on 26 February 1926 until her death in 1937.

Early life and education[edit | edit source]

Sanyogita was born as Chandraprabha Raje on 10 December 1915 in Kolhapur to Dattajirao Narayanrao, the Chief of the junior branch of Kagal, and his third wife.[2] She was educated privately up to the age of ten.[3] Following which, she attended St Elphin's School in Derbyshire for a while, then Moira House School in East Sussex for two and a half years.[2][3]

Marriage[edit | edit source]

She married Yashwant Rao Holkar II on 9 February 1924.[2][4] Her husband succeeded her father-in-law Tukoji Rao Holkar III as the Maharaja of Indore after he abdicated in his favour on 26 February 1926.[5][6] Her only child with her husband Usha Raje was born on 20 October 1933 in Paris.[6]

Along with her husband, she was extensively photographed by Man Ray.[7] She contributed to efforts in the Eckart Muthesius designed palace, Manik Bagh.[8]

Death[edit | edit source]

In 1937, she visited Engadin in Switzerland.[9] While in Switzerland, she fell seriously ill and had to undergo surgery for ruptured appendicitis by Dr. Ruppauer at Kreis Hospital in Samedan.[9] She died during this surgery on 13 July 1937.[9][10]

Legacy[edit | edit source]

Sanyogitaganj, formerly the residency bazaar of Chawanni, in Indore is named for her.[11] In 1980, many items from Manik Bagh were sold at auction in Monaco.[8][12] In 2019, many were placed on display at an exhibition at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris.[8][12]

Gallery[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Haidar, Navina Najat; Stewart, Courtney Ann (2014). Treasures from India: Jewels from the Al-Thani Collection. Metropolitan Museum of Art. p. 127. ISBN 978-0-300-20887-0.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Archives, Royal (8 September 2022). "Kagir Junior (Jagir)". Royal Archives. Retrieved 18 April 2026.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Women in India: Who's Who?. National Council of Women, India. 1935. pp. ii.
  4. ↑ The Indian and Pakistan Year Book. Bennett, Coleman & Company. 1942. p. 188.
  5. ↑ Pradesh (India), Madhya (1965). Madhya Pradesh, District Gazetteers: Bilaspur. Government Central Press. p. 546.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Soszynski, Henry. "INDORE". members.iinet.net.au. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 18 April 2026.
  7. ↑ Poddar, Abhishek; Gaskell, Nathaniel; Pramod Kumar, K. G; Museum of Art & Photography (Bangalore, India) (2015). "Indore". Maharanis: women of royal India. Ahmedabad: Mapin Publishing. pp. 122–123. ISBN 978-93-85360-06-0. OCLC 932267190.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Paris falls for glamour of India's modernist maharajah". The Hindu. 26 September 2019. Archived from the original on 6 October 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Roy, Amita (27 January 2019). "Maharani Usha Raje Holkar - Unspoken Childhood, Part I". The Indian Quest Digital. Retrieved 18 April 2026.
  10. ↑ The Twentieth Century. 1939. p. 39.
  11. ↑ Studies in the History of Malwa. Malava Itihas Parishad. 1981. p. 93.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Photos: Paris gets a glimpse of the life of Indore's Modernist Maharaja". Hindustan Times. 27 September 2019. Archived from the original on 6 October 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.

Further reading[edit | edit source]