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Avinash Kalla

The people consider him a Father figure. Gaj Singh II, the erstwhile maharaja of Jodhpur, leads by example.

It's a bright sunny day at the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The durbaan greets guests with the customary `Hukum'. The red-carpeted stairs lead to the central hall where the delightful sounds of Padharo Mahre Desh (Welcome to my land) greets guests as they stroll through the 50-year-old architectural marvel. The erstwhile royal palace is one of the country's finest hotels today. Elsewhere, it's a busy day for the erstwhile maharaja, Gaj Singh II. A free eye-camp has just wound to a close at the Raj Dadiji Hospital; Gaj Singh is surrounded by files, even as people wait outside his room to air their grievances;He checks the progress of various projects run by the royal trust. "We have been providers to the people of Marwar for centuries. And this is what I am still doing. I try and help them out with their problems."

Water harvesting, women's empowerment, public health, promotion of tourism, and restoration of traditional art and culture are issues that keep him busy. He is a Father figure to the people of Marwar who address him as `Baapji'.

"It is with love that people address me as Baapji. I don't have any power today, this is a democracy and I am just another citizen like them... It brings with it a great amount of responsibility," says Gaj Singh.

A challenging life

Life hasn't been smooth for this maharaja. Anointed king at the age of four, he was sent abroad to study only to return and find out that the government had withdrawn the privy purses and privileges of royalty. He was suddenly faced with the challenge of running the estate. He was left with only two options — run the estate and support the people working for him or just sell the property and lead a happy life. Gaj Singh opted for the former and this marked the beginning of a journey of hardship.

His main challenge was to put Jodhpur on the tourism map and establish Umaid Bhawan Palace as a must-visit destination. Udaipur and Jaipur were hot tourist spots already.

That task was accomplished successfully. He then turned to helping his people. The royal family runs seven trusts, working in diverse fields such as women's empowerment, healthcare, child nutrition and famine relief.

However, the erstwhile maharaja is primarily recognised for the promotion of tourism. He has successfully made tourism a way of life in Marwar. Many families in rural Marwar, as also the region's handicrafts sector have benefited from the booming tourism industry.

"We organise festivals, vintage car rallies and kite festival to bring people from all over the globe to Jodhpur," says Gaj Singh. His son, Yuvraj Shivraj Singh adds, "They aren't always profitable ventures. We bear a lot of the expense."

It was under Gaj Singh's dynamic leadership, as Chairman of the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation, that the innovative heritage hotel movement was introduced, which today holds the future for tourism in the State.

Veerni and Jal Bhagirathi are the other projects that engage his attention. "Veerni means brave women, and over the last decade we have been working towards making single, widowed women self-reliant," says Gaj Singh. "The other area of focus is widow remarriage, which is still a big taboo in this region." Started in 1993 with French collaboration, the project generates awareness about preventive and reproductive healthcare in 16 villages located within a 50-km radius from Jodhpur. The Jal Bhagirathi Project that he started with the Magsaysay award-winner Rajendra Singh for the conservation and optimum usage of water is very special to him. "Its importance goes beyond development, conservation and management of water resources. It is a people-centric model. One-third of the contribution comes from the people in terms of labour, maintenance and supervision. This is what I wish to develop — a spirit of oneness in the hour of crisis," he says.

At the Mehrangarh Painting School, skilled craftsmen from the villages are trained to restore old work. "We also encourage and train traditional painters, and exhibit their work in various galleries," says Shivraj Singh. He worked with international banks in Hong Kong and Geneva before returning home four years ago.

"I always knew I would return to my roots as my father has instilled in us right from childhood that it's the people who have made us and not the other way round. We need to be responsible towards them," says Shivraj.

Whether as a student at Oxford, Indian High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago or as member of Rajya Sabha, Gaj Singh always had one principle in life... "Do your karma honestly and the results will be as desired."

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