Maharaja Gaj Singh Jodhpur to receive Life Time Achievement Award by Conde Nast Traveller Conde Nast Traveller Readers Travel - Lifetime Achievement Award will be conferred to HH Maharaja Gaj Singh of Jodhpur in a grand event on 25th November at the JW Marriott, New Delhi. The Conde Nast Traveller Readers Travel Awards are regarded as the most prestigious within the travel and tourism industry. The winners are chosen by the discerning readers of the magazine, who votes across 24 categories – including favourite destinations, hotels, airlines and spas. The award ceremony that is scheduled today shall be attended by the biggest names in the industry, from Tourism Minister of India and various states, to Chief Ministers of states, to Consul Generals and Ambassadors, along with prominent heads of various hotel chains, airlines and tour operators. In addition, this edition of RTA will also have in attendance Mr Nicholas Coleridge, President of Conde Nast International, for the first time. Bapji, as Gaj Singh is addressed fondly by people, has been actively promoting heritage and tourism since 1971, when he returned from England as a young Oxford graduate. 70s were difficult times, with no active government support in promoting and preserving cultural heritage, Maharaja Gaj Singh set forth a new role for himself, that of a cultural entrepreneur and a cultural ambassador – he adapted his ancestral properties in heritage hotels and museums and encouraged others as-well Today, Fort and palace museums, and heritage hotels are mainstays of tourism in Rajasthan. Maharaja brought the Jodhpur fort alive to the visitors by establishing Mehrangarh Museum Trust; Indias leading cultural institution and centre of excellence. Today Mehrangarh Museum has a unique importance as a repository of the artistic and cultural history of the large areas of Central Rajasthan and Marwar-Jodhpur, ruled by the Rathore Dynasty. Apart from the Museum, the Trust is at the forefront of conservation and restoration, a generous patron of the arts and music and a lively centre of academic study. His innovative approach to protect historical treasures is proving as a model for India and rest of the world. He in 1970s clearly through his vision understood the importance of preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of Rajasthan. Tourism, in Rajasthan remains one of the fastest growing sectors with huge employment generating potential. Maharaja Gaj Singh’s commitment and perseverance towards the conservation and rehabilitation of the Forts of Jodhpur and Nagaur, sets a unique example in the field of Historic rehabilitation. Under his guidance, Mehrangarh Museum Trust has received UNESCO ASIA-PACIFIC Award in the field of architectural conservation, cultural heritage and adaptive reuse, Award of Distinction by UNESCO in 2005, Fassa Bortolo Italy in 2011 and Hadrian Award in 2006 by World Monuments Fund. In 2013, Ahichatragarh, Fort of Nagaur was shortlisted for Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Apart from heritage tourism, his active role in conservation and restoration of historical sites, he actively promotes classical Indian and folk music. It is under his guidance and constant motivation that the Mehrangarh Museum Trust organizes three international level music festivals in a year. From 2007, the Fort hosts an annual festival of regional, national and international folk music in October called Jodhpur Rajasthan International Folk Festival, conceived and delivered in partnership with the Jaipur Virasat Foundation. Along with this, the trust organizes World Sacred Spirit Festival annually in the month of February for Sufi music lovers and Jodhpur Flamenco and Gypsy Festival in the month of March. His vision to place Rajasthan on the world tourism map has been achieved as the numbers of both domestic and international visitors are increasing day by day. Jodhpur has become as a travel destination for people. Not only this, Maharaja Gaj Singh was determined to take the tradition of Jodhpur Polo forward. Jodhpur polo was very dominant since 1920 but then there was a decline in polo as there were very few patrons of the sport. So he started introducing the equestrian sports in Jodhpur. And gradually, with his efforts, polo developed again. With his support, every year in December, Jodhpur Polo and Equestrian Institute organizes “Jodhpur Polo Season” and it is in Jodhpur itself that the British Polo Day is also organized. Also, he has been chairman of the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) for four years and is Convenor of the State Chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). He strongly feels that Steps should be taken for preserving our culture and monuments.” Apart from the above mentioned roles of Maharaja Gaj Singh, he is actively involved in promoting girls education, health care, drought relief measures and irrigation works through his various trusts. The Jal Bhagirathi Foundation was also founded by him and the Magsaysay award winner Rajendra Singh, with an aim to provide an enabling environment in which the desert communities of the Marwar region can access adequate drinking water. Along with the above mentioned projects, the most important initiative that was taken up by the Maharaja is the formation of The Indian Head Injury Foundation (IHIF). He founded IHIF in February 2007, with a mission to build a comprehensive system in India for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injury, and to provide neuro-rehabilitation to patients. As a result of a personal experience, Maharaja became acutely aware of the enormous problem with treating head injuries in India. Through IHIF, Maharaja’s provides help to other Indians, especially those who do not have extensive resources. Maharaja Gaj Singh inspite of being energetic in more than one field has the zeal to constantly work for the conservation of historical sites and making them adaptable in today’s era.
Posted on: Tue, 25 Nov 2014 05:50:07 +0000
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