Twenty two-year-old Yaduveer Gopal Raj Urs was, on Monday, formally adopted as the heir to Wadiyar dynasty, the erstwhile rulers of Mysuru.

Yaduveer, grandson of Princess Gayathri Devi, is the eldest daughter of the last Maharaja of Mysuru Sri Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar, is pursing his BA at Boston in United States.

He was rechristened Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar at the hour-long adoption ceremony, which began at 1.15 p.m. Yaduveer arrived at the specially erected 'mantapa' in the Kalyana Mantapa of the Palace accompanied by his parents Tripura Sundari Devi and Swarup Anand Gopal Raj Urs.

Yaduveer was wearing a resplendent golden-coloured sherwani and sporting a red coloured turban and a necklace in line with the royal traditions.

A team of priests supervised by Brahmathantra Swatantra Paraka Mutt Swamiji overlooked the adoption rituals conducted by Indrakshi Devi, sister of late Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar and monitored by Pramoda Devi Wadiyar.

The adoption ceremony, which was a private affair, was conducted in the presence of the royal family's friends and relatives.

Apart from Home Minister, K.J. George and Housing Minister, M.H. Ambareesh, a host of senior officials of the district administration including Deputy Commissioner, C. Shikha and City Police Commissioner, M.A. Saleem attended the adoption ceremony.

The story was earlier pubilshed in www.thehindu.com

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