[GANDHI MAHATMA : (1869-1948) Indian Political and Spiritual Leader during the Indian Independence Movement. KRISHNA RAJA WADIYAR IV (1884-1940) Maharaja of Mysore 1894-1940. An interesting T.L.S., Krishnaraja Wadiyar, four pages, 8vo, The Palace, Mysore, 26th September 1931, to Sir Stuart [Kelson Brown? , on his attractive colour printed stationery. The Maharaja responds to his correspondent's letter on his return from an interesting trip to Tibet and writes, in part, 'Gandhi is after all in London actively taking part in the deliberations of the Round Table Conference. For his sake and for the sake of the Congress I am glad he is there. My own belief is that left to himself he is not by any means an unreasonable man but his decisions are often influenced by the reckless and irresponsible views of the younger members of the party he represents. Before long we shall know whether all the delegates including Gandhi will make a genuine effort to solve the outstanding questions more especially the communal tangle with a spirit of moderation and foresight. Moreover he is an idealist and dreams of an utopian India if what he strives for on behalf of the Congress is given. He forgets, however, that there are warring elements in his own camp and that sooner or later he will find it difficult to withstand their onslaught and maintain his leadership' The Maharaja also writes of his recent trip to Tibet ('I must say that I was to a certain extent disappointed. The people are semi-civilsed and the country is dry and uninteresting') and also comments on the terrible financial crisis in India, 'My Government is endeavouring to effect drastic retrenchments to the extent of several lakhs of rupees, a colossal amount, being nearly one third of the gross revenues of the State. You can imagine what difficulties we have to contend with in facing such an abnormal situation' as well as remarking of his brother's journey to Paris and London 'to watch the Round Table Conference proceedings'. A letter of fine content. VG
The three Round Table Conferences of 1930-32 were organised by the British Government to discuss constitutional reforms in India. The present letter was written at the time of the Second Round Table Conference of September - December 1931 when Gandhi was appointed as the sole representative of the Indian National Congress.
Gandhi labelled Maharaja Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV as the Rajarshi (or 'saintly king').
The Maharaja's correspondent may have been Sir Stuart Kelson Brown (1885-1952) Deputy Under-Secretary of State in the India Office, 1934-36.