Yeshwant Rao Holkar II

Yeshwant Rao Holkar II became Maharaja of Indore at age 18 after the death of his father, Shivaji Rao Holkar. He was known for his modernist outlook and patronage of art and architecture.

Yeshwant Rao Holkar II commissioned the Manik Bagh Palace in Indore, designed by German architect Eckart Muthesius in the Art Deco style. The palace featured modernist furniture and became a landmark of 20th-century design.

Yeshwant Rao Holkar II amassed a significant collection of modern Western and Indian art, including works by artists like Brancusi and Magritte. His collection was displayed at Manik Bagh and later dispersed, influencing Indian art patronage.

Yeshwant Rao Holkar II signed the Instrument of Accession, merging Indore into the Dominion of India after independence. He later served as a Rajpramukh of Madhya Bharat until the state's reorganization in 1956.