The Dawn of a New Era

MEET CHAITANYA RAJ SINGH, THE 44TH MAHARAWAL, OR KING, OF JAISALMER. THE 28-YEAR-OLD ROYAL TAKES T+L INDIA & SOUTH ASIA ON A DRIVE AROUND HIS CITY, IN THE SOON-TO-BE LAUNCHED VOLVO XC40 RECHARGE. WE ALSO GET EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO HIS FAMILY’S ANCESTRAL SUMMER PALACE, MOOLSAGAR.

- RASHIMA NAGPAL

ON THE HORIZON OF THE GOLDEN CITY OF INDIA, Jaisalmer, I see something of a renaissance. In 2021, the erstwhile princely state in the heart of the Thar Desert coronated its first millennial king, Chaitanya Raj Singh, son of Raseshwari Rajya Laxmi and Late Maharawal Brijraj Singh. Two decades ago, at the turn of the 21st century, the city became the site for one of the world’s largest operational onshore wind farms, Jaisalmer Wind Park. It’s the first thing I notice from the airplane moments before we land in Jaisalmer. In a fitting coincidence, earlier this year Swedish car brand Volvo collaborated with Travel + Leisure India & South Asia to reveal its first pure electric compact SUV in India, the Volvo XC40 Recharge, in Jaisalmer. We invited the young king, Chaitanya Raj Singh, to take the vehicle for a spin. A car enthusiast—and a firm believer and promoter of living life sustainably—Singh feels electric automobiles are the way ahead. “I know ‘sustainable’ is a difficult word to define, but as humans, we have lived sustainably before and it’s on us as a global community to come together and achieve the various goals that have been set by governments for their countries,” he says. Much like Volvo is committed to safety and environmental sustainability, Singh too has a vision for Jaisalmer. He opened up to us about his journey so far and plans for the future in a candid conversation.

Is this your first cover shoot after the coronation?