Air Marshal P. K. Mehra at City Palace Complex
Air Marshal P. K. Mehra AVSM VM AOC-in-C SWAC of the Indian Air Force visited The City Palace complex, Udaipur on January 02, 2006. He was taken around the City Palace Museum and Crystal Gallery and was greatly impressed with the upkeep of the museum and the objects displayed. He said, “It is a treat to see the beautiful City Palace. It is superbly maintained and future generations will benefit from the restoration work that is now being done.
Eternal Mewar, developing from The City Within a City project was also outlined to him and, he expressed deep interest in the culture and history of Mewar. In the evening, the Air Marshall met Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur and later watched 'The Legacy of Honour' The Mewar Sound and Light Show.

Air Marshal P.K.Mehra at The City Palace Complex

Friends from Chicago
Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Epstein, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Gautham and Mr. and Mrs. R Wislow visited Udaipur. Mr. Epstein, an eminent businessman from Chicago, was a friend of the Late Maharana Bhagwat Singhji Mewar. He attended the opening of the Lake Palace Hotel in 1963. Mr. Epstein and his wife have been frequent visitors to Udaipur and have keenly followed the restoration work that has taken place.
They stayed with their friends at Shiv Niwas Palace and enjoyed visiting all the museums and sites of Udaipur city complimenting Shriji on his efforts to conserve his heritage. On January 20, Shriji hosted cocktails at Shambhu Niwas Palace followed by dinner at Jagmandir. Princess Padmaja Kumari Mewar of Udaipur was also present at the dinner.

Folk artists at Gajner during the visit of Ms.Dame Diana
(Photograph- © ayeshasitara)

Acclaimed British actress Dame Diana Rigg revisits Gajner
In November 2006 Dame Diana participated in a new prime-time documentary series for Channel 4, Wall-to-Wall Productions. This history series tells the story of the end of the British Empire and its legacy, through the voice of six well-known celebrities sharing their memories of childhood spent at the end of this significant period of history when Great Britain relinquished control of over 50 countries and half a billion subjects. Dame Diana Rigg spent her early childhood in India, in the State of Rajasthan where her father was the Locomotive Carriage and Wagon Superintendent in the Jodhpur and Bikaner State Railways where he acquired an excellent reputation for both himself and his Workshop. The Bikaner State Railways Workshop is still under operation with staff strength of 1416 persons. Dame Diana and her brother Hugh spent time in both the cities of Bikaner and Jodhpur. The Riggs were regular members of the Victoria Memorial Club, and were well remembered for a beautiful and meticulous garden they maintained and a large rambling bungalow.
A well-respected British celebrity and a woman of many facets, Diana Rigg stormed into the limelight with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford. She has worked with forceful talents such as Peter Hall and Tom Stoppard. A multifaceted thespian, Rigg has edited books, served as Director of United British Artists, and received honorary degrees from Universities for her accomplishments in theatre and film. In the late 1990's Diana Rigg was decorated as a commander of the British Empire and was created a Dame.
During her most recent visit to Gajner, supported by the BBC's Channel 4 Productions, Dame Diana met and talked to Captain Jitendra Singh Bhati who was ADC to the Maharaja of Bikaner in 1944 and advised H.L.H Maharaja Karni Singhji during his political career. Captain Bhatti provided a wealth of information on the history of the Palace at Gajner when it was used by the Maharajas of Bikaner to entertain dignitaries and royalty. It was during this very time that Mr. and Mrs. Louis Rigg were living in Bikaner and were often invited to these lavish Parties hosted at Lalgarh Palace. Ms Ayesha Sitara, a photographer and researcher working on many of the BBC's Indian projects accompanied Dame Diana on this nostalgic trip to India, and provided much of the recent information for this story.
Dame Diana Rigg first revisited Gajner in January 2000 with her older brother Hugh for the first time since their early childhood. Then, she was invited by HRH Group of Hotels, as their guest to share reminiscences of these days with the writer Trevor Fishlock, writing for the UK Daily Telegraph.