Arvind Singh Mewar, a prominent member of the erstwhile Mewar royal family and chairman of the HRH Group of Hotels, passed away early Sunday at his residence in Udaipur’s City Palace after a prolonged illness. Aged 81, Mewar, a descendant of the legendary Rajput king Maharana Pratap, leaves behind his wife Vijayraj Kumari, son Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, and daughters Bhargavi Kumari Mewar and Padmaja Kumari Parmar. His funeral is scheduled for Monday, with the City Palace closing to tourists on Sunday and Monday as a mark of respect.

Born to Bhagwant Singh Mewar and Sushila Kumari, Arvind was the younger son, following the passing of his elder brother Mahendra Singh Mewar in November 2024. Educated at Mayo College, Ajmer, and trained in hotel management in the UK and US, he worked in Chicago before returning to build the HRH Group into a professionally managed hospitality empire. A multifaceted individual, Mewar excelled in sports and aviation. He debuted as Rajasthan’s Ranji Trophy captain in 1945-46, played polo until health issues intervened, and later founded the Mewar Polo team, which won the President’s Cup in 1991. An avid pilot, he also flew solo across India in a microlite aircraft.

As Chairman of the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation, Mewar contributed to heritage preservation and philanthropy. However, his tenure was marked by family disputes following his father’s 1984 death, when Bhagwant Singh named him successor via a trust, disinheriting Mahendra Singh. This led to a rift, with Mahendra’s son Vishvaraj Singh, a BJP MLA, assuming the titular headship last year. Tensions flared recently when Vishvaraj was briefly barred from entering City Palace by Lakshyaraj Singh, though the issue was resolved.

Arvind Singh Mewar’s legacy blends royal heritage with modern enterprise, leaving an indelible mark on Udaipur’s cultural and economic landscape.