The last queen of the former Jeypore kingdom, Rama Kumari Devi breathed her last in Moti Mahal palace at Jeypore in Koraput district on Monday morning after a prolonged illness. She was 90.

Her son Chandrachud Deo and youngest daughter-in-law Sarika Devi were present at the time of her death. Several well-known people went to the palace on Monday morning to offer their condolences to the bereaved family.

Her last rites will be performed at the Chandanbadi cremation ground with royal honors on Monday.

Rama Kumari was the MLA of Madgul in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. She was the wife of the last king of the family Ramakrishna Deo, who was the adopted son of Maharaj Bikram Dev.

Jeypore is believed to be one of the biggest towns and a significant historical location in the Koraput district. In 1648–1649CE, the town became the capital of Maharaja Veer Vikrama Dev’s empire.

Historically, the former kingdom was extended across the present-day districts of North Andhra and South Odisha.

The Maharaja chose this location primarily because to its strategic importance.