Bhageerathi Pillai Rukmini Pillai Sri Padmanabha Dasa Sir Sri Visakham Thirunal Rama Varma V GCSI FRGS FRAS (19 May 1837 – 4 August 1885), also known as Rama Varma the Learned, was the Maharaja of Travancore from 1880 to 1885 AD, succeeding his elder brother Ayilyam Thirunal on the musnud, or throne.

His highness was a keen botanist and he got to know about the tapioca/cassava from Lord Napier, Governor of Madras and Colonel Olcott of Theosophical Society Adyar.

On realizing the potential of this newfound crop he introduced cultivation of the same within premises of palace at present day Jawahar Nagar near Kowdiar on 31 July 1883.

Later during World War II when the fall of Burma stressed rice imports, the tapioca cultivation helped Travancore survive a massive famine.

Within the royalty and nobility of Trivandrum, she was the first lady to commence English Education), descendant of Maharajah Balarama Varma and Dharma Raja.

His eldest and only son, Sri Narayanan Thampi, who started the first bus services in Travancore (Trivandrum-Nagercoil route), was born in 1865.

In 1873 the Maharajah and his wife had their eldest daughter Bhagavati Pillai Kochamma who married Sri Rajaraja Varma Avargal of the Mavelikara royal family.

The Maharajah's youngest daughter, Bhageerathi Pillai Kochamma was born in 1877 and was married to Sri Rama Varma of the royal family of Poonjar.

The Thali Kettu Kalyanam of the Maharajah's daughters was conducted on 18 May 1883 in a grand public ceremony with the above-mentioned husbands, as recorded by the French Ambassador in the Travancore Court.

Officially he was also known with his full title: His Highness Sri Padmanabha Dasa Vanchi Pala Visakham Thirunal Rama Varma Kulasekhara Kiritapathi Manney Sultan Maharajah Raja Ramaraja Bahadur Shamsher Jang