Last Maharani of Darbhanga, Kam Sundari Devi passes away at 96

Kam Sundari Devi, the last Maharani of Darbhanga and the final surviving woman in India to hold the royal title of Maharani, passed away on Monday morning at the age of 96. She had been unwell for several months and died peacefully at her residence, Kalyani Niwas, located within the historic Raj complex in Darbhanga, Bihar.

Her death has cast a pall of grief across the Mithila region, with people from all sections of society mourning the loss of a dignified figure who represented the living memory of India’s princely past. Senior officials, including the sub-divisional officer, visited the Raj complex to pay their respects, while condolences poured in from across the region.

Born in 1930, Kam Sundari Devi was married in 1940 to Maharaja Kameshwar Singh, the last ruler of the Darbhanga Raj and one of the most influential figures of his time. She was his third wife, following Maharani Rajlakshmi and Maharani Kameshwari Priya. Maharaja Kameshwar Singh passed away in 1962, after which she remained a respected presence in public life despite the abolition of royal titles.

After her husband’s death, the Maharani founded the Maharajadhiraj Kameshwar Singh Kalyani Foundation to preserve his legacy. Through the foundation, she established a library that houses over 15,000 books and continued to promote literary, cultural and social initiatives in the region.

The Bihar government has announced that her last rites will be conducted with state honours, recognising her historical and cultural significance. The final ceremonies will take place after the arrival of her grandson, Rajkumar Kapileshwar Singh, marking the end of a defining chapter in the history of the Darbhanga royal family.