Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Tourism and Culture, highlighted the exceptional cultural and architectural heritage of Shekhawati and the importance of preserving and promoting the region’s tangible and intangible heritage, while participating in a special World Tourism Day programme organised by MOHAR (Museum of Heritage and Art at Ramgarh), an initiative of the Shruti Foundation, at the Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, on Sunday, September 27th, 2026.
The Minister was the Chief Guest at the programme, which featured a special panel discussion, ‘Shekhawati – From Historical Glory to New Horizons’, bringing together distinguished voices from the fields of heritage, culture, architecture, conservation and the arts.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said, “Shekhawati’s priceless heritage is not only unparalleled in itself but also extraordinary, and Shekhawati is renowned across the world as an open art gallery. Many people have made efforts to preserve, maintain and protect the heritage of Shekhawati. Efforts have been made to take Shekhawati’s heritage to the global stage and to rejuvenate its tangible and intangible heritage.”
He further said, “The dedication they have shown over the past 20 years will certainly bear fruit in line with our Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Heritage as well as Development.’ There will be qualitative growth in both the work and the pace of the work. With these good wishes, I extend my best wishes to the Foundation and all members of the Foundation family on this occasion.”
The panel discussion brought together Padma Bhushan Pandit Sajan Misra; Raja Rama Varma (Descendant of Raja Ravi Varma) Padmashri Guru Shovana Narayan(Kathak Exponent) Abha Dalmia (Shekhawati’s Diaspora and Entrepreneur) Ashok Singh Thakur, Chairperson, INTACH; Aman Nath, Co-Founder and Chairman, Neemrana Hotels; Dr. Shikha Jain, Founder, Dronah Foundation, Dr. Shruti Nada Poddar, Founder Shruti Foundation and curator and Dr. Alka Pande, co-curator.
The discussion explored Shekhawati’s remarkable havelis, architectural traditions, art and cultural heritage, along with the challenges and possibilities of conservation and the need to ensure that the region’s unique legacy remains relevant for future generations.
The occasion also marked the launch of ‘Handbook of Heritage Conservation: Special Focus: Havelis of Shekhawati’, followed by a viewing of the ongoing exhibition ‘Raj Se Swaraj Tak – From Colonial Rule to Independent India, Through the Eyes of Shekhawati’.
Presented by MOHAR, the exhibition traces Shekhawati’s transformation through the colonial period, the freedom movement and independent India, bringing together art, architecture, archival material, objects and stories that illuminate the region’s rich cultural legacy.
The World Tourism Day programme extended the historical narrative of ‘Raj Se Swaraj Tak’ into a contemporary dialogue on conservation, cultural tourism and the future of Shekhawati, with the participation of the Union Minister adding national significance to the conversation around preserving and promoting the region’s extraordinary heritage.
