The erstwhile Maharani of Jaipur, Gayatri Devi, 90, long celebrated for her beauty, grace and poise, died of a prolonged illness here on Wednesday. She was admitted to the Santokba Durlabhji Hospital on Tuesday after complaints of breathing difficulties and was kept on a ventilator. However, her condition worsened and she died at around 4 pm on Wednesday. Her cremation with full state honours will take place tommorrow.

Gayatri Devi’s death comes just a day after the death of actress and former Miss India Leela Naidu. Both featured in Vogue magazine’s list of the world’s ten most beautiful women earlier.

Born on May 23, 1919 in the royal family of Cooch Behar, now in West Bengal, Gayatri Devi became the third Maharani of Jaipur in 1939 after her marriage to Sawai Man Singh II. Known to her family as Ayesha, Gayatri was the daughter of Prince Jitendra Narayan of Cooch Behar and Princess Indira Raje of Baroda. She studied at Shantiniketan and in Switzerland.

Gayatri Devi’s son Jagat Singh died in 1997. She is survived by her three step-children, including the present Maharaja of the erstwhile Jaipur empire, Bhawani Singh.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, expressing grief over her death, said: “It is a loss for the entire state. Her work towards arts and culture and women’s education was unrivalled in the state.”

Even as she later came to be known as Jaipur’s Rajmata, Gayatri Devi was famed not only for her beauty and charisma, but her contribution to arts and culture, girls’ education and sports as well as politics.

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