Udaipur is mourning the loss of Rajmata Vijayraj Kumari Mewar, who died late on Monday, September 14, at the age of 83 after a prolonged illness.For many, she was known first as a member of the former Mewar royal family. But her life in Udaipur was about more than a royal title. Education, philanthropy, spirituality and the preservation of Mewar’s traditions remained important parts of her public life.Her death comes just over a year after the passing of her husband, Arvind Singh Mewar, who died in March 2025. Together, they had three children, Bhargavi Kumari Mewar, Padmaja Kumari Mewar and Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar.On September 15, her final journey began from Shambhu Niwas Palace in the City Palace complex. Her mortal remains were taken to Mahasatiyaji at Ahar, the historic cremation ground associated with the Mewar family, where her last rites were performed according to traditional rituals and with a royal guard of honour.For a city that had seen her closely associated with its cultural and charitable life for decades, it was a solemn farewell.
Born into the royal family of Kutch
Rajmata Vijayraj Kumari was born into the former royal family of Kutch in Gujarat. She was the younger daughter of Maharaj Fateh Singhji of Kutch and the granddaughter of the Maharao of Kutch.Her early education took place at a Franciscan convent in Ooty. The experience, according to her official profile, shaped her belief in the importance of education and discipline from an early age.She also travelled overseas in the 1960s and witnessed the social and economic changes taking place in Europe and America. Those experiences, her official biography says, strengthened rather than weakened her connection with Indian values and spirituality.She married Arvind Singh Mewar in 1972 and moved to Udaipur, becoming part of the Mewar family.But her place in Udaipur’s story was not limited to the family she married into.
Her lasting connection with education
Education became one of the clearest threads running through Rajmata Vijayraj Kumari’s public life.She was closely associated with the development of Maharana Mewar Public School during the 1980s. The official HRH Group profile says she spent years helping the school professionalise its outlook and strengthen its educational commitment to the people of Udaipur.Her involvement with the school continued over the years. The Maharana Mewar Public School’s own records identify her as chairperson of its School Management Committee, and she continued to attend important school events, including annual prize-giving ceremonies.For her, education was closely linked to the larger question of what young people could do with the opportunities they were given.That belief also fitted naturally with her interest in philanthropy and social welfare.
A life rooted in service and spirituality
Rajmata Vijayraj Kumari was associated with charitable trusts connected with the preservation and maintenance of Mewar’s ancient temples, including the Shree Eklingji Trust and the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation. She also supported developmental activities linked to these institutions.Spirituality was another important part of her life. Her official profile records her association with the Bihar School of Yoga and her support for the continuation of its teachings.There was also a professional side to her public life. She served as Joint Managing Director of Historic Resorts Hotels Pvt Ltd, according to the HRH Group profile.So while the title of Rajmata naturally placed her within Mewar’s royal history, her work extended into education, charitable activity and the institutions connected with the family’s heritage.
A farewell at Mahasatiyaji
On Tuesday morning, citizens, social organisations and dignitaries gathered as her final procession left Shambhu Niwas Palace.The procession moved towards Mahasatiyaji at Ahar, where the final rites were carried out according to Mewar traditions. Reports said a royal guard of honour was also present.It was a deeply symbolic final journey for a woman whose life had been spent between two worlds: one rooted in a centuries-old royal heritage and the other in the institutions and causes she helped nurture in modern Udaipur.
Condolence meetings to be held
The family has also announced a series of condolence gatherings, known as Tiye ki Baithak.The meetings are scheduled to take place from September 16 to September 23, between 2 pm and 3 pm, at Shambhu Niwas Palace in the City Palace complex.Rajmata Vijayraj Kumari’s life cannot be reduced to her royal lineage. She was born into one royal house, married into another and spent decades in a city whose history is deeply tied to the Mewar family.But what remains beyond the titles is the work she chose to support: education, philanthropy, spirituality and the preservation of heritage.And perhaps that is the quieter part of her legacy. The classrooms, charitable institutions, temples and traditions she remained connected to will continue after her. In Udaipur, her name will now be remembered not only as part of the city’s royal history, but also as part of its social and educational story.
