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At the inaugural edition of GQ Heroes, Sawai Padmanabh Singh — or Pacho, as he’s fondly known — spoke with quiet conviction about legacy, reinvention, and the creative pulse that continues to define Jaipur. The young Maharaja of Jaipur, who has steadily evolved into a global ambassador for Indian heritage, reflected on the city’s artistic roots and his vision for transforming it into a contemporary hub for design, art, and culture. With initiatives like the Jaipur Centre for Art, Singh is not just preserving history — he’s reigniting the spirit of a city “built on the back of culture.” GQ Heroes 2025: Sawai Padmanabh Singh on spearheading an art and culture renaissance in Jaipur Cultural renaissance Speaking about his role in spearheading a host of cultural programmes in the city over the past two years, Singh explained: “Of all the cities in India, the one that needed a cultural renaissance was Jaipur. It was a city built on the back of culture — and not only culture, but art and craft, fashion and architecture”. “When I moved back to India a few years ago, I felt like we weren’t really part of the global discourse around culture and things that mattered. And that’s why my sister and I, both inspired by other members of our family, started — in our own humble capacities — one activation here, and another there. Today, we’re so proud that we’re a city so full of energy, and everybody wants to come here for different reasons. It’s a city that gives so much joy,” he added. Preserving legacy vs reinvention There’s a fine line between preserving the legacy of a city as rich in heritage as Jaipur, and reinventing this tradition for contemporary audiences. Detailing the same, the 26-year-old royal offered an example of his ancestor, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, whose “contemporary” vision he continues to expand on. “You have cities that die and cities that find ways to stay relevant through millennia. And the gentleman who built Jaipur about 300 years ago — Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II — he started it as a contemporary project. He built a modern city with modern services. It was one of the first planned cities of the country. We’re going to do an exhibition where we’re tracing our journey back to our roots, where we’ll explore the foundation of Jaipur through maps, pictures, and other media,” he said. Singh added, “The fact that he built this city was a very contemporary move, and that really set the tone for successive generations for the past 300 years. We’ve found, in our city, different ways to reinvent ourselves. I think that is the most important reason that has kept Jaipur relevant.” Jaipur Centre for Art “That is also why I launched the Jaipur Centre for Art (JCA) with my dear friend Noelle Kadar over the last couple of years — that’s where it stemmed from. We felt like we weren’t adding anymore to the contemporary art dialogue around our city,” Singh stated. Through JCA, housed in the historic City Palace, the duo aim to position Jaipur as a global destination for contemporary art — fostering creativity and innovation. Most recently, the centre hosted ‘Non-Residency’, a one-of-a-kind exhibition curated by LA-based gallerist Rajiv Menon, which showcased the works of 16 influential artists including Rajni Perera, Chitra Ganesh, Baseera Khan, and Shyama Golden.
