Digvijay Sinh Kathiwada

He Is the Rana of the 700-yearold Princely State of Kathiwada, and Wears His Title With Great Responsibility. Born to Fashion Doyenne, Yuvrani Sangita Kathiwada, Digvijay Is Rooted in Reality and Unspoilt by Glamour. Former Director of Osian’s, (the Auction House), He Recently Independently Hosted the First Ever Sports Memorabilia Auction in India. Presently, a Primary Mission for Digvijay Is to Save the Forests of Madhya Pradesh With Several Restoration Projects in the Pipeline

- Ankita Rathod

Sustainable living is the call of the day... your thoughts on the same?

“If we don’t sustain our environment, it won’t sustain us. It has just taken us very long as a collective human society to see the mess we’re making of our planet. It is every generation’s responsibility to leave the planet in better shape for the next. It’s only now that awareness is playing such an integral part of the movement.”

Could you tell us about your restoration of jungles in Kathiwada?

“Before we could positively influence the people of Kathiwada and win their trust, it was important that we showed them what we were capable of. It began with restoration of our old palace, which is a bold three-storey colonial structure built in 1895. When my mother and I took over the project, the building was in severe decay. Now, it has been restored to its former glory and beyond. Thus, engaging in community based development projects have become a little easier now. The Kathiwada forest is known for its density and is home to leopards and bears. A proposed government sanctuary plan fell out of favour as forest dwellers refused to leave the jungle. So, the most recent community engagement project has then been reforestation – to plant 1,000 trees at a time, with 100 volunteers from the village community on a regular basis. In the early 1900s, my grandfather and great grandfather would plant trees on horseback, deep into the jungle.”