Conferences are both initiated and hosted by the MMCF at considerable cost. The foundation also funds the participation of MMCF staff and supporting scholars in academic events held elsewhere. These events range in subject from historical, civic, social, economic and cultural issues. Details of a few such events organized / attended in the recent past are given below:
Public Private Partnership, Udaipur
A conference was organized at The Durbar Hall, Fateh Prakash Palace on the 14th September 2007 to discuss the model of 'Public Private Partnership' in Udaipur. Several Hotel groups and prominent organizations of the city gathered together to discuss various issues faced by the city due to rapid urbanization, including the threat to the city's lakes and the growing impact of traffic on roads in the city. The conference was presided over by the Former Home Minister, Government of Rajasthan; Mr. Gulabchand Kataria who considers Udaipur to be one of the prime tourist destinations in India. Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur, Chairman and Managing Trustee, Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation attended the meeting. He extended his full support to the project and proposed the setting up of a master plan setting out detailed development plans. He also suggested a technical committee be set up to administer the project.
Lecture by Dr Adam Hardy on Indian Temple Architecture, The Durbar Hall, Udaipur
- The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation extended an invitation to Dr. Adam Hardy to address an audience on Indian Temple Architecture at The Durbar Hall, Fateh Prakash Palace on 25th January 2008. During his lecture he explained the concept of movement within architecture. Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur attended the lecture with Dr. Shikha Jain, Director, DRONAH. Dr. Hardy has devoted a life time's study to the architecture of Indian temples that has been the focus of his doctoral thesis and many subsequent publications. Although much research has been carried out on temple architecture since the late nineteenth century, key questions remain about how temples were patronised and constructed as well as the social place they occupied in medieval Indian society. A team of researchers, led by Dr. Adam Hardy have been exploring these problems. After studying architecture at Cambridge in the UK, Dr. Hardy has worked as an architect as well as holding a number of academic posts. He founded the research group PRASADA (Practice, Research and Advancement in South Asia Design and Architecture. He is currently leading a major research project at the Welsh School of Architecture at Cardiff University funded by the AHRC on the unfinished 11th century temple at Bhojpur. During his visit to Udaipur Dr. Hardy visited Shree Eklingnath ji Temple.
WWF Seminar, The City Palace Complex, Udaipur
- Seminar on wildlife was organised by WWF, Udaipur Chapter in association with MMCF, Udaipur on the 8th May 2009 and 10th April 2010 at Conference Hall, COMPO, The City Palace Complex, Udaipur.
India Economic Annual Conference
- The Department of Economics, University College of Social Sciences & Humanities, Udaipur organised their 91st Annual Conference of the Indian Economic Association. The inaugural session took place on the 27th December 2008 at the University Auditorium. Chairman for the inaugural session was Prof. G. K. Chadha, President, IEA. Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission was their Chief Guest and Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur was the Special Guest. The inaugural session was followed by lunch.
INTACH and other cultural memberships
- INTACH (Indian National trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) Mewar Regional Chapter organized a regional seminar on 'Heritage Centric Urban Development Issues, Challenges and Futuristic Action Plan for Udaipur' at The Durbar Hall, Fateh Prakash Palace on 15th March 2008. The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) is now an Institutional Life member of INTACH, which is a nationwide not-for-profit membership organization, set up in 1984 to protect and conserve India's vast cultural, material, architectural and natural heritage. Today, INTACH is the largest membership organization in the country dedicated to conservation with a vision to stimulate and spearhead heritage awareness and conservation in India. Participants at the regional seminar included architects, conservationists, historians and experts as well as volunteer organizations, policy and decision makers. The objective of the discussions was to assess the status of the urban development of Udaipur and how it will evolve. The seminar started with an inaugural session followed by group discussion, a presentation paper and lunch. Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur, a patron of INTACH - Udaipur Chapter, Chairman and Managing Trustee, MMCF attended the concluding session.
- On the 2nd November 2009 Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur attended the Regional Conference of all Chapter Conveners of Rajasthan State that was organized by INTACH Udaipur chapter on the 2nd and 3rd of November, at Auditorium, Anand Bhawan, Udaipur. The conference was part of a chain of events to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of the INTACH (Indian National Trust For Art and Cultural Heritage). The theme of the Regional Conference was Virasat Sanrakshan - Dasha Aur Disha or Heritage Conservation-Status and Prospects. Discussions were held to review the progress of conservation efforts made so far by INTACH Chapters in difficult economic times.
Workshop on Emergency procedures, The City Palace Complex, Udaipur
As part of the training programme on conservation practice guidelines, a workshop on emergency procedures was held on the 19th June
2009 for City Palace Museum guides, attendants and other staff members. Mr. Rohit Jigyasu, Consultant of Risk Management explained to his audience that as they would be 'first in the line of fire' they must be fully aware of procedures and how to deal with an emergency situation. The lecture was followed by an on site visit to the Dilkushal Mahal and Badi Chitrashali where emergency fire exit doors have now been marked and they were given instructions on what to do in case of an emergency and how to guide people to the fire exits. They were also given a demonstration of the equipment that they might have to use and drilled on how to salvage artifacts if damage were to occur. All those attending the Workshop expressed their appreciation to the management of The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation for giving them the opportunity to attend the Workshop.
International Summit on Service Excellence, IIMT Gurgaon
Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur was invited by the Institute of International Management and Technology (IIMT), Gurgaon and Bengal, as their distinguished speaker at the
'International Summit on Service Excellence'. The Summit was held at the Radisson Hotel in New Delhi on the 20th January 2006.
The keynote speaker at the summit was Prof. Jagdish N Sheth of Emory University, USA. Prof Sheth's address was followed by Shriji's presentation, titled: 'Ideas in Action The Case of Heritage Hospitality'. Shriji highlighted the distinction between 'heritage hospitality management' and hospitality management in general. "The quest, therefore, is not to utilize any existing benchmark in service excellence but to discover one's own excellence and share it with guests who want to experience the richly-hued Indian heritage," Shriji said, during his 45-minute presentation that was well-appreciated by the audience at the IIMT Summit. Prof P Paliwal, Head of IIMT Bengal, who was chairing the session, thanked Shriji for putting forward the distinct case of heritage hospitality.
Jannani Vikas - Upliftment of Women in Rural Rajasthan in the field of Health and Education, RANA, New York
- Rajasthan Association of North America (RANA) organised The Rajasthan International Convention II 2006 based on the theme 'Jannani Vikas - Upliftment of Women in Rural Rajasthan in the field of Health and Education' co- sponsored by the Government of Rajasthan from the 1st - 4thJuly 2006 at the Huntington Hilton, New York. Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur and Ms.Padmaja Kumari Parmar a t t e n d e d t h e C o n v e n t i o n . O v e r 2 , 0 0 0 participants including leading Rajasthanis in the field of business, industries, technology, health and education were present. Exception examples of handicrafts and jewellery were also displayed on the occasion. The Convention was inaugurated by The Honorable Chief Minister of Rajasthan Smt. Vasundhara Raje, followed by a cultural program. Shriji shared his views on 'Athithi Devo Bhava' - Heritage Hospitality. He spoke about the challenges of successful heritage hospitality management.
Ladies' Study Group, Kolkata
- Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur was invited to address the Ladies Study Group (LSG) at ITC Hotel, Kolkata on the 7th August 2007. The Indian Chamber of Commerce established the LSG in 1966 to create a platform that would encourage women to participate in current and relevant national issues. The LSG hopes to increase and diversify its activities ranging from developing entrepreneurial awareness and social consciousness, to making a positive difference to society at large. In his address, Shriji spoke about
'Eternal Mewar' as a concept that represents the custodianship of four perennial values: self- respect; self-reliance; respect for mankind and service to the community. He also spoke about the philanthropic and development activities taking place in The City Palace Complex, Udaipur.
Managing Urban Growth in India, IHC, New Delhi
Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur attended Metropolis Commission 2 meeting on the 4th December 2009 jointly hosted by the National Institute of Urban Affairs (India) and Metropolis. The conference to discuss managing urban growth in India, held at India Habitat Center, New Delhi. Commission 2 is exploring the issues of rapid urbanization and the impact on city life and its inhabitants. Issues discussed included the role of Government that it is doing enough to protect, promote and improve the quality of life in Cities. The meeting was chaired by Ms. Mary Lewin, Commission Coordinator, Manager International Affairs, Department of Planning and Community Development, Government of Victoria with Mr. Sunil Dubey, Liaison Officer for the Metropolis.
On the second day of the conference, Dr. Shikha Jain, Resource Person of the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation presented a paper on the topic 'Achieving livability in Udaipur City through heritage resource management: perspectives on royal custodianship and local governance'. Shriji responded with an explanation of custodianship and the evolution of an institution and conceptualization of Eternal Mewar.
Rethinking Museums, Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai
The Commonwealth Association of Museums held a five-day regional conference and workshop from 1st to 5th June 2010 in Mumbai. Held for the first time in India, the CAM conference was attended by 107 delegates from 15 nations. Titled
'Rethinking Museums', the primary venue was t h e C h h a t r a p a t i Sh i va j i Ma h a r a j Va s t u Sangrahalay (formerly the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India). The objective was to encourage dialogue between practitioners in the m u s e u m i n d u s t r y f r o m a c r o s s t h e Commonwealth and to share ideas and ways of working, especially with regard to the significance of museums in relation to their communities and their role in today's changing world. Despite the rich material heritage and culture represented by museums, many struggle to attract visitors. The need for innovation is pressing and the conference hoped that participants would learn from those who succeed.
Ms. Mrinalini Venkateswaran, Project Manager, Eka Cultural Resources & Research, New Delhi as a resource person of MMCF, Udaipur gave a presentation on work being undertaken at the City Palace Museum, Udaipur. Brochures on the Museum and the photographic exhibition at the Bhagwat Prakash Gallery, were distributed and generated further interest. The conference was organised by the Commonwealth Association of Museums; Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya and National Council of Science Museums (Ministry of Culture, Govt of India). The City Palace Museum, MMCF is the member of The Commonwealth Association of Museums, Canada.
Pictorial Representations of The Ramayana, Sahitya Academy Raja Bhuri Museum, Chamba
Sahitya Academy, New Delhi organized a national conference on 'Pictorial Representations of The Ramayana' from 7th to 9th June 2010 at Raja Bhuri Singh Museum, Chamba, Himachal Pradesh. Ms. Sonika Soni, Documentation Assistant, Pictorial Archives, MMCF presented a paper on The Mewar Ramayana Tradition and 'Raghuvamsha', based on stylised aspects and on the painter's strategic representations in the illustrated Raghuvamsha manuscript.
Walk together, Talk Together, and Act with one Mind, Jain Social Group, Udaipur
On the 23rd January 2010 Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur inaugurated a three-day 11th Biennial International Convention of Jain Social Groups International Federation at Jheel Darshan, Udaipur. Using the theme 'Walk together, Talk together and act with one mind', the main goal of the organization is to promote fellowship and fraternity among members of the community to strive for their progress and property and foster unity propagating the fundamental principles of Jainism for the welfare of mankind.
Shri Aurbindo Society Convention at Udaipur
On 23rd October 2010 Shriji was Chief Guest at the inauguration of the 10th convention of Shri Aurbindo Society that was held at Vidhya Bhawan Teachers College, Mohta Park, Udaipur. The theme of the two day convention was on the relevance of Shri Aurbindo in today's world. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Trilok Chaturvedi, Former Governor, Karnataka and Prof. B.P. Bhatnagar, Former Vice Chancellor, Janardhan Rai Nagar University was guest speaker at the Convention.
Heritage Management Programme organized by DRONAH and the Institute of International Management & Technology, Delhi
A three Day Heritage Management Programme was organised by DRONAH and the Institute of International Management & Technology held from 28th-30th April 2011. As the first programme of its kind all aspects of heritage management and planning were discussed by p r o f e s s i o n a l s w o r k i n g o n a r c h i t e c t u r a l conservation; managers of heritage trusts from both Private and Government sectors as well as owners of heritage properties. Topics included heritage planning and legislation as well as community participation, corporate social responsibility; venue management at heritage properties and the availability of grants and funds.
The successful conservation efforts and future plans at the City Palace Udaipur were discussed by the speakers at the seminar who included Dr. Shikha Jain - Director DRONAH, Dr. Sudhanshu Bhushan, Dean IIMT; Mr. Sandeep Munjal, Astt Dean of IIMT; Mr. Pramod Kumar MD - EKA; Mr. Rakesh Mathur - President Welcome Heritage and Mr. Vinod Joshi, Community Director, Jaipur Virasat Foundation. Ms. Vrinda Raje Singh, CEO - Joint Custodianship Initiative, Eternal Mewar attended the programme.
- Presentation on the evolution of Eternal Mewar
Eastbound Travel and Tours organized a US study group tour where delegates attended a day's seminar on 11th May 2011 at Claridges, New Delhi, Mr. Raju Mansukhani (Consultant with MMCF and Director-Mansar Communications Pvt. Ltd.) was invited to address the visiting MBA students from Northeastern University, USA. The presentation highlighted Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar's vision of the evolution of Eternal Mewar and the challenge that heritage management faces.
Success said Mr. Mansukhani, lies in modern management practices that have been adopted to keep alive ancient customs and traditions in the
21st century. Whilst India is transforming itself, it remains rooted to the time-tested value systems as exemplified by Eternal Mewar is it emerges as a heritage brand for global India is transforming itself as a world leader but is remaining rooted to its time-tested value systems, as exemplified by the emergence of Eternal Mewar that is recognized globally as a heritage brand. Amongst those attending the presentation were Ms. Anuradha Sarup (Director - Mansar Communications Pvt. Ltd.) and Mr. Avneet Bagga.
- 5th West Zone Vice Chancellors's Conference2011
Mr. Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar of Udaipur was Guest of Honour at the inauguration ceremony of the 5th West Zone Vice Chancellors's Conference
2011 held at Sabhagaar Conference Hall, The Durbar Hall, Fateh Prakash Palace Convention Centre, Fateh Prakash Palace, Udaipur on 29th July 2011. The theme of the two day conference was 'Higher Education in India: A Perennial Quest for Excellence'. The chief guests of the programme were Dr. C.P. Joshi, Union minister for Road Transport and Highways, Govt. of India; Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman- Planning Commission, Govt. of India; Ms. Ishar Singh Ahluwalia, President, High power committee for Urban Development, Mr. Pankaj T. Chande, President of Vice Chancellors Council and Prof. I.V. Trivedi, Vice Chancellor, Mohanlal Sukhadia University. 60 Vice Chancellors of different universities of the west zone of India participated in the seminar. MMCF sponsored the venue and lunch on the first day of the conference.
- XIV CII-FBN India Chapter AnnualConvention
On 15th March 2012 Shriji attended a two day XIV CII-FBN India Chapter Annual Convention focusing on ‘Best Practices and Beyond Best Practices' held at Hotel Taj Mahal, New Delhi. Dr. John Ward, Professor, The Kellogg School of Management, USA was the lead faculty for the convention. Shriji was accompanied by Ms. Vrinda Raje Singh, CEO, Joint Custodianship Initiatives, Maharana of Mewar Charitable Founation, Udaipur and Mr. Raju Mansukhani, Communication Consultant - Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation, Udaipur.
The objective of MMCF in giving support either as a donation or financial assistance for publication of books is to encourage research work in areas as diverse as Indian history, culture, indigenous languages and literature. The books are available for all sections of society. The following titles have been published since 2003:
- Mewar Darikhane Ke Riti-Riwaj Avam Sanskaar by Dr. Rajendra Nath Purohit
- Mewar - The Worlds Longest Serving Dynasty by Ian Austin
- Vishvavallabha: Agri History Bulletin-5
- Samudrik Gyan by Shri Basanti Lal Mehta
- Tod's Annals of Mewar The Annals of Rajasthan by Ed. C.H. Payne
- Sahil Sahil Bikhare Moti and Aabshar-E-Gazal by Shri Iqbal Sagar
- Sanskaar Bharti and Amar Bel Balidan Ki by Pandit Shri Narendra Mishra
- Kumbhalgarh Ajay Durg by Dr. Gauri Shankar Asawa
- Father and Son by Anjali Vimal and Amar Vimal Ambani
- Maharana Pratap - The Hero of Haldighati by Shri Kesri Singh
- Pratap Charitra by Shri Kesri Singh Barhat- Maharana Raj Singh Aur Aurangzeb by Shri Rajendra Shankar Bhatt
- Panigrahan Sanskaar and Maa by Ram-Lalita Kogata
- A Walk Through History - The Official Guide Book of The City Palace Museum, Udaipur by Thakur Bhupendra Singh Auwa
- Veer Vinod (Mewar Ka Itihaas) 4 Vols. by Kaviraj Shyamaldas
- The Legacy of Honour, The Mewar Sound and Light Show
- The City Palace Museum, Udaipur, Paintings of Mewar Court Life by Andrew Topsfield
- Publication of Souvenir 'Genealogical Portrait of The Custodians of House of Mewar' in August 2005. It contains a list of Custodians of the House of Mewar from 1 to 76 with the dates indicate the period of reign of the Custodians of House of Mewar.
- 'Mewar Lithographs', set of six post cards of The City Palace Museum, Udaipur were produced in October 2004.
- MMCF publishes The Palace Calendar and has done so for the past 25 years. 9000 copies are printed every year and distributed gratis. Each calendar has a particular theme portraying a well-researched and often highly esoteric piece of cultural knowledge which would have been lost in today's fast-changing world but for its being recorded in some form. For more detail on The Palace Calendar please visit http://www.eternalmewar.in/collaboration/publications/calendars.aspx
The Foundation, apart from aid in publication, also promotes book and CD launches to engrain interest in significant publishing output:
- MMCF launched an audio CD 'Veer Shiromani Mewar Geet' on 1st March 2008.
- Dr. Chandra Shekhar Sharma's noteworthy book 'Rashtriya Ratan Maharana Pratap' was launched by Shriji on 20th April 2008 at Shambhu Niwas Palace. A lecturer in history at Govt. Meera Girls PG College, Udaipur, Dr. Sharma's intent is to elaborate on the life and achievements of Maharana Pratap. At the book launch Shriji emphasised that Maharana Pratap's principles remain as significant as ever in the 21stCentury and continue to provide stimuli and value to society.
- Pandit Shri Narendra Mishra, Spokesperson of MMCF, released a CD of his poetry 'Kaljayi Mewar' and his book 'Amar Bel Balidan Ki' at The Durbar Hall, Fateh Prakash Palace, Udaipur in the presence of Shriji on the 8th October 2008
- Shriji launched a book 'Food Preservation: Principles and Practices' written by Dr. Arti Sankhla, Dr. Renu Mogra and Mrs. Kusum Babel at Shambhu Niwas Palace, Udaipur on 22nd April 2011. The book showcases various techniques involved in the processing of fruits and vegetables making the best use of agricultural output.
Launch of Book 'Indian Cities - Managing Urban Growth'
On 5th July 2011 The National Institute of Urban Affairs and Metropolis, an association of over 100 large cities in the World, jointly organised the launch of 'Indian Cities - Managing Urban Growth'. The book was launched by Dr. Isher Ahluwalia, Chairperson - High Powered Expert Committee (HPEC) on Urban Infrastructure in India.
The book features case studies of several Indian cities including Ahmedabad, Surat, Pune, Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkatta, with articles on slum up- gradation, new towns, riverfront development and heritage. Mr Josep Roig, Secretary General - Metropolis World Association briefed the audience about Metropolis and how they view contemporary life through design. Ms. Mary Lewin, Manager, International Affairs, Department of Planning and Community Development, Government of Victoria, Australia and Commission 2 Coordinator on Urban Growth Metropolis, Metropolis Asia-Pacific, Australia presented the vote of thanks. The launch was attended by eminent planners, social activists and architects from across the country. Ms. Vrinda Raje Singh, CEO – Joint Custodianship Initiative, Eternal Mewar represented Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation.
- On 6th July 2011, Ms. Mary Lewin, Manager, International Affairs, Department of Planning and Community Development, Government of Victoria, Australia and Commission 2 Coordinator, Metropolis Asia-Pacific, Australia, Prof. Chetan Vaidya, Director, National Institute of Urban Affairs, New Delhi, India and Ms. Agnès Charlotte Bickart, Manager, International Relations, World Association of the Major Metropolises met Shriji at The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi and presented him with their book 'Managing Urban Growth'. This metropolis Research Publication has been produced in association with India's National Institute of Urban Affairs featuring case studies of some Indian cities, Ahmedabad, Surat, Pune, Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkatta. Their book includes articles on improved standards of living, new towns, river front development, as well as heritage.
- Shriji launched 'Pushpanjali – The Great Indian Saint Bavji Chatursingh ji' a book edited and published by Dr. Sunita Bhatnagar, Vivekanand Third Eye Center, Udaipur at Shambhu Niwas Palace, Udaipur. Dr. Bhatnagar also presented Shriji with her book 'Meera Ki Meera – The Great Indian Saint, Meera Bai' on 27th August 2011.
- On the 26th February 2012 a book was launched titled 'Maharana - The Story of Rulers of Udaipur' by Mr. Brian Masters. Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur, Mr. Brian Masters and Dr. Gulab Kothari unveiled the book at Sabhagaar Conference Hall, The Durbar Hall, Fateh Prakash Palace Convention Centre, Udaipur on the auspicious occasion of the Maharana Mewar Foundation 31st Annual Awards Distribution Ceremony - 2012. The book is published by Mapin Publications Pvt. Ltd., Ahmedabad and Maharana Mewar Historical Publications Trust, Udaipur.
The academic initiatives of the MMCF are based on a multi-pronged approach aimed at providing resources for scholars and professionals. This approach combines direct donations towards educational institutions through the educational trusts, with wide-ranging and dynamic initiatives that include funding research into areas of interest to the region, hosting seminars and conferences on various subjects, the development of research institutes and libraries, maintenance of historic archives and their translation and digitization and an active programme of publishing local historical and cultural literature. Another important aspect of the academic programme is learning and interpretation, which promotes educational visits from schools and universities, both local and foreign.
Aims and Objectives of the academic initiatives:
- To promote quality education, ancient and modern Indian languages and Vedic Studies.
- To research, conserve and promote Indian architecture, all creative and performing arts,
literature and culture.
- Promotion of education and learning through establishment of schools, colleges,
research institutes and libraries.
Publication Programme; Conferences, Seminars, Workshops and Guest Lectures; Maharana Mewar Research Institute; Maharana Mewar Special Library; Learning and Interpretation; Knowledge Transfer Initiative; The J. Paul Getty Grant; Website; Memberships; Associate Institutions; Impressions constitutes to the initiatives in academics field.
In the upcoming blog posts, we will unveil the above mentioned tasks.
To know more about the activities in the Publication Programme, go to - http://blog.eternalmewar.in/post/2012/06/01/Publication-Programme-as-per-Academic-Initiatives-by-MMCF.aspx