Agartala, Nov. 28: Kirit Bikram Kishore Manikya, the universally respected Maharaja of Tripura, breathed his last in Calcutta following a massive cardiac arrest last night. He is survived by his second wife Maharani Bibhu Kumari Debi, two daughters and a son.

The Tripura government has declared a day’s mourning tomorrow. The princely ruler’s funeral will be held with full state honours on Thursday.

Born on December 13, 1933, at the Ujjayanta palace in the heart of Agartala, Kirit Bikram Kishore was the eldest son of Tripura’s last king Maharaj Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya (1923-1947). His formal coronation was held in 1941 but he could never become the king. He was elected a Congress MP thrice in 1967, 1977 and 1989.

“He was truly a dignified gentleman, quite unmindful of his high status in Tripura as the last crowned prince of the Manikya dynasty that ruled the state for nearly 500 years,” said Vishnu Prasad Chakraborty, an official with the state government.

He has reason to rememb-er the Maharaja with gratitu-de. As protocol officer, he had ushered the Maharaja, accompanied by Maharani Bibhu Kumari Debi, to the third row of seats at the Assam Rifles ground on January 26, 2001.

Tripura’s royal couple had been invited to attend the official Republic Day ceremony. The Maharani’s annoyance over the relegation to the third row was audible but the Maharaja was unperturbed.

He had told the embarrassed district magistrate and other senior officials not to take their junior to task for the unintended error.