Pradyuman Shekhawat
Arvind Singh Mewar: The king who reimagined Udaipur
A tribute to Arvind Singh Mewar, the visionary who transformed Udaipur's royal palaces into iconic luxury hotels, revolutionized heritage hospitality, and made the city a global tourism and wedding destination.
In the shimmering waters of Lake Pichola stands a white marble wonder that appears straight out of a dream: the iconic Lake Palace of Udaipur. Millions have admired its ethereal beauty, but few know the visionary behind its transformation from a fading royal residence to one of the world's premier luxury destinations. Arvind Singh Mewar, who passed away on March 16, 2025, at age 80, didn’t just restore palaces—he revolutionized how India presents its royal heritage to the world.
The Palace Whisperer: Arvind Singh Mewar's Hospitality Revolution
In the bright blue waters of Lake Pichola floats a white marble vision that seems to emerge from a dream, the Lake Palace of Udaipur. While countless tourists have marveled at this architectural wonder, few know the visionary who transformed it from a deteriorating royal residence into one of the world's most iconic luxury destinations. Arvind Singh Mewar, didn't just save a palace; he revolutionized how India presents its royal heritage to the world.
When Palaces Became Possibilities
The story begins not with grandeur but with pragmatism. In post-independence India, royal families faced an uncomfortable reality: maintaining sprawling palaces without royal privileges and privy purses was financially impossible. While many ancestral homes crumbled across the country, Arvind Singh Mewar saw opportunity where others saw decay.
Building upon his father's pioneering initiative of converting Jag Niwas Palace (now known as the Lake Palace) into Udaipur's first luxury hotel in 1961, Arvind Singh established the HRH Group of Hotels in 1986. What began as a controversial decision, opening private royal spaces to the public evolved into a visionary business model that would reshape India's hospitality landscape.
"I believe in the past, but my feet are firmly rooted in the present and I'm constantly thinking about the future," he once remarked, a philosophy that guided his approach to modernizing royal traditions while preserving their essence.
Crafting Experiences, Not Just Accommodations
What distinguished Arvind Singh's approach from conventional hoteliers was his insistence on authenticity. Each palace-turned-hotel under his stewardship wasn't merely decorated with royal themes—it embodied genuine traditions, architecture, and hospitality practices of Mewar's heritage.
Under his leadership, the HRH Group evolved into India's largest chain of heritage palace-hotels under private ownership. The portfolio grew to include ten remarkable properties, each telling its own story:
Shiv Niwas Palace, once reserved exclusively for royal guests, welcomed visitors to experience its crescent-shaped majesty. Fateh Prakash Palace, built in the early 1900s, revealed the grandeur of early 20th-century royal life. Perhaps most dramatically, Jagmandir Island Palace—a 17th-century retreat in the middle of Lake Pichola, offered visitors an experience previously reserved for royalty and their distinguished guests.
Even the former royal hunting lodge found a new purpose as the Shikarbadi Hotel, complete with its own private airport. From Garden Hotel in Udaipur to Fateh Bagh in Ranakpur, from Gajner Palace to Karni Bhawan Palace in Bikaner, each property underwent meticulous restoration to showcase its historical significance while offering modern luxuries.
Beyond Business: The Hospitality Philosophy
For Arvind Singh, converting palaces into hotels wasn't merely a business strategy—it was a preservation philosophy. "In our tradition, we hold our possessions and authority in trust, passing them from generation to generation. We still uphold these traditions as a moral not a constitutional responsibility," he wrote in The New York Times in 2010.
This sense of custodianship shaped every aspect of his hospitality ventures. When guests stayed at an HRH property, they weren't just checking into a hotel with royal decor; they were participating in living heritage. Traditional ceremonies, authentic Rajasthani cuisine prepared using ancestral recipes, and service protocols derived from centuries of royal hospitality practices created experiences impossible to replicate.
This approach transformed Udaipur from a historical footnote to one of India's premier destinations. The city became synonymous with luxury travel and emerged as India's most sought-after wedding venue, where celebrations unfolded against backdrops once reserved for royal ceremonies.
Creating a New Hospitality Paradigm
The "Mewar Model" of heritage hospitality spread throughout Rajasthan and beyond, creating a new paradigm for conservation through tourism. What made this model revolutionary was its sustainability—by making heritage commercially viable, it ensured its preservation for future generations.
As his son, Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, who now carries forward the legacy as Executive Director of the HRH Group, explained: "By transforming palaces into hotels we are preserving them for the present and the future. There is no other way we can maintain such large properties; however deep the pockets may be. Moreover, we believe that, by opening our palace-hotels, the history of Mewar and Udaipur has become an intrinsic part of the lives of thousands of people."
This innovative approach earned Arvind Singh numerous accolades, including the "Agastya Award" from the Travel Agents Association of India, "Royal of the Year" Award from Hello magazine, and the Hall of Fame Award by the Indian Association of Tour Operators, among others.
A Tribute to the Heritage Hospitality Pioneer
As news of Arvind Singh Mewar's passing reverberates through Udaipur's palace corridors and across India's hospitality industry, we reflect on a legacy that transcends business success. The 76th custodian of the House of Mewar didn't just preserve buildings; he preserved a way of life, ensuring that the grandeur, traditions, and hospitality practices of royal Rajasthan would continue to enchant visitors from around the world.
In a country where heritage buildings are often either cordoned off as museums or left to deteriorate, Arvind Singh charted a different course. He understood that the best way to preserve heritage was to make it living, breathing, and economically viable. Every guest who has ever marveled at the Lake Palace floating on Pichola's waters, dined in the courtyards of Shiv Niwas Palace, or experienced a royal ceremony at Jagmandir Island Palace has benefited from his vision.
As a direct descendant of the legendary Rajput warrior Maharana Pratap, Arvind Singh Mewar fought a different kind of battle, one for cultural preservation through innovation. Where others saw crumbling palaces, he envisioned world-class hotels. Where others saw financial burdens, he created economic engines that would support local communities for generations.
"Change rarely invalidates the past, and it does not necessarily imply a rejection of the old," he once wrote. "A great deal can—and should be—preserved from the past. In particular,r we should treasure the ancient and selfless values that have stood the test of time."As the sun sets over Lake Pichola, casting golden reflections on the palaces that define Udaipur's skyline, we pay tribute to the man who ensured these magnificent structures would continue to captivate and inspire. In opening the doors of royal residences to the world, Arvind Singh Mewar didn't diminish their grandeur; he magnified it, creating a legacy as enduring as the 1,500-year-old dynasty he represented with such vision and grace.
Inspiring Future Generations: The Legacy Lives On
Arvind Singh Mewar's passing marks the end of an era in Udaipur's royal history. His vision and entrepreneurship transformed not only his family's legacy but also Rajasthan's tourism industry. By blending royal heritage with modern hospitality, he created experiences that allowed people worldwide to connect with India's rich cultural past. His dual passions for cricket and heritage preservation showed his commitment to both tradition and community. As Udaipur continues to flourish as a premier tourist destination, Arvind Singh Mewar's influence remains embedded in the city's identity, ensuring that the royal legacy of the Mewar dynasty continues to inspire future generations.
Pradyuman Shekhawat
19th Mar 2025•7 mins read
Arvind Singh Mewar: The king who reimagined Udaipur
A tribute to Arvind Singh Mewar, the visionary who transformed Udaipur's royal palaces into iconic luxury hotels, revolutionized heritage hospitality, and made the city a global tourism and wedding destination.
In the shimmering waters of Lake Pichola stands a white marble wonder that appears straight out of a dream: the iconic Lake Palace of Udaipur. Millions have admired its ethereal beauty, but few know the visionary behind its transformation from a fading royal residence to one of the world's premier luxury destinations. Arvind Singh Mewar, who passed away on March 16, 2025, at age 80, didn’t just restore palaces—he revolutionized how India presents its royal heritage to the world.
The Palace Whisperer: Arvind Singh Mewar's Hospitality Revolution
In the bright blue waters of Lake Pichola floats a white marble vision that seems to emerge from a dream, the Lake Palace of Udaipur. While countless tourists have marveled at this architectural wonder, few know the visionary who transformed it from a deteriorating royal residence into one of the world's most iconic luxury destinations. Arvind Singh Mewar, didn't just save a palace; he revolutionized how India presents its royal heritage to the world.
When Palaces Became Possibilities
The story begins not with grandeur but with pragmatism. In post-independence India, royal families faced an uncomfortable reality: maintaining sprawling palaces without royal privileges and privy purses was financially impossible. While many ancestral homes crumbled across the country, Arvind Singh Mewar saw opportunity where others saw decay.
Building upon his father's pioneering initiative of converting Jag Niwas Palace (now known as the Lake Palace) into Udaipur's first luxury hotel in 1961, Arvind Singh established the HRH Group of Hotels in 1986. What began as a controversial decision, opening private royal spaces to the public evolved into a visionary business model that would reshape India's hospitality landscape.
"I believe in the past, but my feet are firmly rooted in the present and I'm constantly thinking about the future," he once remarked, a philosophy that guided his approach to modernizing royal traditions while preserving their essence.
Crafting Experiences, Not Just Accommodations
What distinguished Arvind Singh's approach from conventional hoteliers was his insistence on authenticity. Each palace-turned-hotel under his stewardship wasn't merely decorated with royal themes—it embodied genuine traditions, architecture, and hospitality practices of Mewar's heritage.
Under his leadership, the HRH Group evolved into India's largest chain of heritage palace-hotels under private ownership. The portfolio grew to include ten remarkable properties, each telling its own story:
Shiv Niwas Palace, once reserved exclusively for royal guests, welcomed visitors to experience its crescent-shaped majesty. Fateh Prakash Palace, built in the early 1900s, revealed the grandeur of early 20th-century royal life. Perhaps most dramatically, Jagmandir Island Palace—a 17th-century retreat in the middle of Lake Pichola, offered visitors an experience previously reserved for royalty and their distinguished guests.
Even the former royal hunting lodge found a new purpose as the Shikarbadi Hotel, complete with its own private airport. From Garden Hotel in Udaipur to Fateh Bagh in Ranakpur, from Gajner Palace to Karni Bhawan Palace in Bikaner, each property underwent meticulous restoration to showcase its historical significance while offering modern luxuries.
Beyond Business: The Hospitality Philosophy
For Arvind Singh, converting palaces into hotels wasn't merely a business strategy—it was a preservation philosophy. "In our tradition, we hold our possessions and authority in trust, passing them from generation to generation. We still uphold these traditions as a moral not a constitutional responsibility," he wrote in The New York Times in 2010.
This sense of custodianship shaped every aspect of his hospitality ventures. When guests stayed at an HRH property, they weren't just checking into a hotel with royal decor; they were participating in living heritage. Traditional ceremonies, authentic Rajasthani cuisine prepared using ancestral recipes, and service protocols derived from centuries of royal hospitality practices created experiences impossible to replicate.
This approach transformed Udaipur from a historical footnote to one of India's premier destinations. The city became synonymous with luxury travel and emerged as India's most sought-after wedding venue, where celebrations unfolded against backdrops once reserved for royal ceremonies.
Creating a New Hospitality Paradigm
The "Mewar Model" of heritage hospitality spread throughout Rajasthan and beyond, creating a new paradigm for conservation through tourism. What made this model revolutionary was its sustainability—by making heritage commercially viable, it ensured its preservation for future generations.
As his son, Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, who now carries forward the legacy as Executive Director of the HRH Group, explained: "By transforming palaces into hotels we are preserving them for the present and the future. There is no other way we can maintain such large properties; however deep the pockets may be. Moreover, we believe that, by opening our palace-hotels, the history of Mewar and Udaipur has become an intrinsic part of the lives of thousands of people."
This innovative approach earned Arvind Singh numerous accolades, including the "Agastya Award" from the Travel Agents Association of India, "Royal of the Year" Award from Hello magazine, and the Hall of Fame Award by the Indian Association of Tour Operators, among others.
A Tribute to the Heritage Hospitality Pioneer
As news of Arvind Singh Mewar's passing reverberates through Udaipur's palace corridors and across India's hospitality industry, we reflect on a legacy that transcends business success. The 76th custodian of the House of Mewar didn't just preserve buildings; he preserved a way of life, ensuring that the grandeur, traditions, and hospitality practices of royal Rajasthan would continue to enchant visitors from around the world.
In a country where heritage buildings are often either cordoned off as museums or left to deteriorate, Arvind Singh charted a different course. He understood that the best way to preserve heritage was to make it living, breathing, and economically viable. Every guest who has ever marveled at the Lake Palace floating on Pichola's waters, dined in the courtyards of Shiv Niwas Palace, or experienced a royal ceremony at Jagmandir Island Palace has benefited from his vision.
As a direct descendant of the legendary Rajput warrior Maharana Pratap, Arvind Singh Mewar fought a different kind of battle, one for cultural preservation through innovation. Where others saw crumbling palaces, he envisioned world-class hotels. Where others saw financial burdens, he created economic engines that would support local communities for generations.
"Change rarely invalidates the past, and it does not necessarily imply a rejection of the old," he once wrote. "A great deal can—and should be—preserved from the past. In particular,r we should treasure the ancient and selfless values that have stood the test of time."As the sun sets over Lake Pichola, casting golden reflections on the palaces that define Udaipur's skyline, we pay tribute to the man who ensured these magnificent structures would continue to captivate and inspire. In opening the doors of royal residences to the world, Arvind Singh Mewar didn't diminish their grandeur; he magnified it, creating a legacy as enduring as the 1,500-year-old dynasty he represented with such vision and grace.
Inspiring Future Generations: The Legacy Lives On
Arvind Singh Mewar's passing marks the end of an era in Udaipur's royal history. His vision and entrepreneurship transformed not only his family's legacy but also Rajasthan's tourism industry. By blending royal heritage with modern hospitality, he created experiences that allowed people worldwide to connect with India's rich cultural past. His dual passions for cricket and heritage preservation showed his commitment to both tradition and community. As Udaipur continues to flourish as a premier tourist destination, Arvind Singh Mewar's influence remains embedded in the city's identity, ensuring that the royal legacy of the Mewar dynasty continues to inspire future generations.