Despite all the money in the world, an Indian-made car rules the heart of this royal family.
2024 was the year when Rhea Singha was crowned Miss Universe, thanks to her glittery golden bird costume designed by Vietnamese designer Nguyen Ngoc Tu. Once upon a time, India was known as the “Golden Bird” due to its strength in global trade and prosperity, most of which resulted from how princely states operated.
Then came a series of different rulers, including the British colonisation, which looted India, and the nation’s economy plummeted. The majority of the royal families survived the ordeal, and most post-independence, every prince had to give up their rule and join the nation.
79 years after India’s independence, no royal family has the power to rule, but a few have managed to keep their wealth intact, including the royal family of Mewar.
Speaking of royalty, as we are aware, royalty means everything expensive and exquisite, from palaces to cars. The royal family of Mewar is no different, with a long list of iconic cars collected over a period of time that showcase the evolution of cars and the automobile industry.
Yet, despite all the money in the world, one Indian car rules the hearts of the royal family of Mewar.
The princely state of Udaipur, or Mewar, was once ruled by the Bhagwat Singh Mewar. Decades later, his grandson Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar is hailed as the prince, but without any authoritarian power. However, he is a successful businessman who has managed his inherited wealth well, ensuring his family’s legacy remains alive.
When the prince goes on a drive, it is not a Cadillac or an Aston Martin that turns the heads of the bystanders. It is a Thar with a unique number plate that the people of Mewar turn to greet with pressed hands, a ‘Namaste’ to the prince, and the prince returns the greeting in the same manner.
In a chat with journalist Renuka Kirpalani on Mashable India, Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar revealed how various forms of Mahindra jeeps have always been part of the family. Because of their rugged nature and the capability to go places where roads do not exist, jeeps have been trusted members of the family.
The prince has a limited edition of the Mahindra Thar aqua colour variant from 2010 with Anand Mahindra’s signature—only 700 were made worldwide. It still sits in the garage and does occasional runs because this was one of the cars that the prince used to learn to drive. The collector’s item with a pinch of nostalgia, there’s a good chance that car will never leave the prince’s garage, and the keys will be passed on to the next generation.
Automobile enthusiasts are known to have the habit of collecting new generations of vehicles. At least those who can afford to keep two or three vehicles in their garage maintain this tradition. Given that money is not an issue for the prince, he added a new generation red-coloured Thar to his collection, which is also his regular commute when he is driving alone or going on off-road trails.
It is not a shocker that Prince owns a massive arsenal of cars, including vintage models. Our absolute favourites are the 1960 Mercedes-Benz 190DB, 1989 Mercedes-Benz 300D, 1924 Rolls-Royce 20 HP, 1938 Cadillac 39, and 1946 MG TC convertible.
The presence of these cars in Indian garages not only showcases the timeline of automobile evolution but also shows that India, despite its tumultuous past, has always had a thing for cars, be they vintage, expensive models, or a simple Maruti Suzuki Alto, depending on the size of an individual’s pocket.
