House of Mewar - Case Study
The House of Mewar’s association with Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, began in February 2008 when Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar attended the first ISB Asian Invitational Conference on Family Business Management in Hyderabad as a delegate. The theme of the conference was ‘Sustaining Growth in Family Business’.
Shriji invited Prof John L Ward, Clinical Professor of Family Enterprises at Kellogg School of Management of the Kellogg School of Management, Chicago, and Prof K Ramachandran, Thomas Schmidheiny Chair Professor of Family Business and Wealth Management at the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, to prepare in-depth case studies on the House of Mewar for the benefit of not only management students and researchers worldwide, but also to develop an evolving document – a manual, as he said – for the present and future generations of the House of Mewar.
Summary
House of Mewar case study
Across the world only a limited number of families have survived beyond a few generations, distinctly retaining their identity in terms of vision and values, and evolved as institutions. The royal family of Mewar is unique in that it has successfully sustained itself beyond 76 generations. This research case on the House of Mewar has identified factors such as trusteeship and service to society as the core strengths that have contributed to the creation of this institution. Although, the trusteeship responsibility of administration of the state has been transferred to the government, the family has ensured that its moral responsibility to preserve the history and traditions and enriching the society has remained high.
It has not only preserved the ancestral properties with history of centuries behind, but also brightened the image of Udaipur as a tourist centre. In the process it has created employment opportunities for a large number of people. Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar’s painstaking efforts to build on what he inherited under difficult times, that too when he was the one ‘chosen to rule’ shows the leadership qualities required to practice trusteeship values. His children have demonstrated commitment and capabilities to preserve the traditions and responsibilities entrusted on them.
The House of Mewar is being represented at the London Family Business Network (FBN) Summit, from October 4th to 6th, 2012 by Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar. The next generation will be represented by Ms Padmaja Kumari Mewar and Mr Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar.
Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur (‘Shriji’) is the 76th Custodian of the House of Mewar in which position he has had the opportunity to handle wealth and inheritance received in bequest and what he has added by his worth. His efforts through the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (of which he is the Chairman and Managing Trustee), and HRH Group of Hotels (of which he is the Chairman), are symptomatic of his insights into investment. A multifaceted personality – from being an aviator to a hotelier – Shriji is respected through four continents for his strategic thinking, business acumen and ethical conduct. He has, among other things, modernized and extended the heritage variable into a strong family business, headquartered in Udaipur and spread across Rajasthan and India. The institutions he has created and nourished are the best testimony to his skills, and for doing so, he has used the core principles of family business, demonstrating his adherence to governance through Custodianship at all times.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) was created by an act of ‘daan’ or philanthropy performed by the Maharanas of Mewar to ‘honour and recognize works of permanent value to society’. MMCF epitomizes a commitment to the pursuit of excellence. It is the largest of the nine public charitable trusts set up in 1969 to sustain the responsibility of the House of Mewar towards humanity after the amalgamation of the State of Udaipur, Mewar into the Republic of India in 1947. For over four decades, the MMCF, currently hiring a 260-member team, has invested in mainly four areas: academia, eco-management, philanthropy and heritage conservation and promotion. In 2011 alone, it ploughed back, its own resources, close to US$ 2 million for over fifty developmental projects it undertook. It serves as a ‘temple of inspiration’ for future generations and further continues the model of sustainability that is ‘Eternal Mewar’.
In espousing ‘living heritage’, Shriji has provided heritage management a contemporary perspective for twenty-first century audiences. This sustains the ancient perennial values of the House of Mewar. Living Heritage ‘has the power to transform regional economies, inject pride in our heritage and enrich our societal fabric’. This is a unique case of lateral thinking, of tradition remaining connected with the real world of today.
Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur is the speaker of the work shop - Stewardship through seventy six generations
Few families can claim continuity of existence for more than 76 generations either in business or otherwise. This workshop will showcase the House of Mewar, a family with an unbroken chain of custodianship for more than 13 centuries and which has had to diversify to protect its heritage and cultural legacy. The family’s role as stewards not only of the business but of the territories in which they live has transformed both family and business and contributed to an enterprise which has demonstrated long-term sustainability.
Delegates attending this workshop will learn how the current leader has re-defined the role of custodianship in a dynamic family business context, the role of trusteeship values and how these have extended beyond the business and how the current leader has evolved an appropriate succession strategy.
The House of Mewar is being represented at the London Family Business Network (FBN) Summit, from October 4th to 6th, 2012 by Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar. The next generation will be represented by Ms Padmaja Kumari Mewar and Mr Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar.
From February 1-3, 2008, Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar, Mr Jitendra Singh Rathore and Mr Raju Mansukhani attended the first ISB Asian Invitational Conference on Family Business Management in Hyderabad as delegates. The theme of the conference was ‘Sustaining Growth in Family Business’. The keynote address, by Prof John L Ward, Clinical Professor of Family Enterprises at Kellogg School of Management, held the august audience spellbound as he enunciated the strengths of family businesses across the world.
Intense interactions during the conference with Prof John L Ward and Prof K Ramachandran resulted in Shriji's extending an invitation to the management gurus to visit Udaipur and begin the task of working on the House of Mewar case studies.
Prof John L Ward said, "I treasure this gift of a case that you are giving us, Shriji!” Besides being the Clinical Professor of Family Enterprises at Kellogg School of Management, Prof Ward is a visiting lecturer at IMD Lausanne; Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Indian School of Business, Hyderabad and IESE at Barcelona.
The House of Mewar is being represented at the London Family Business Network (FBN) Summit, from October 4th to 6th, 2012 by Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar. The next generation will be represented by Ms. Padmaja Kumari Parmar and Mr Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar.
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Prof John Ward and Prof Ramachandran visited Udaipur from October 21-22nd, 2009. The House of Mewar case study research was reviewed and the Professors had an in-depth four-hour long discussion/presentation at the Shambhu Niwas Palace conference hall. Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar, Mrs Vijayaraj Kumari Mewar, Ms. Padmaja Kumari Parmar and Mr Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar were present and actively participated in the discussions.
The House of Mewar will be represented at the London Family Business Network (FBN) Summit, from October 4th to 6th, 2012 by Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar. The next generation will be represented by Ms. Padmaja Kumari Parmar and Mr Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar.
On March 15 -16th, 2012, CII-FBN India organized the XIV International Convention on Family Business which focused on ‘Best Practices and Beyond Best Practices’ in New Delhi. Prof John L Ward and Mr Dana Telford held forth on the best practices of family businesses and kept spell-bound an auditorium-full of delegates and members.
Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar, Ms Vrinda Raje Singh and Mr Raju Mansukhani were among the delegates representing the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation, Udaipur. Prof Ward was delighted with Shriji’s presence as he introduced the House of Mewar case study, through one whole session, and invited Shriji to also share his thoughts with those present.
The delegates and members went through the House of Mewar case study and raised several interesting issues pertaining to governance and Custodianship.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation, Udaipur is now an institutional member of the FBN India Chapter.
The House of Mewar will be represented at the London Family Business Network (FBN) Summit, from October 4th to 6th, 2012 by Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar. The next generation will be represented by Ms Padmaja Kumari Mewar and Mr Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar.
