"Once Bitten By The Bug, There Was No Going Back," Catch Maharaja Padmanabh Singh Talk About His Passion For Polo And His Family

The young maharaja of Jaipur, Padamnabh Singh, came to his throne when he turned 18 and, suddenly, the world’s eyes were on the young scion. Despite his classic, clean- cut looks, an impressive polo prowess, and a jet-setting lifestyle rubbing shoulders with the world’s glitterati, the young blueblood stays connected to his roots and handles the fame with nonchalance. He talks to Brides Today about fashion, legacy, polo, and Jaipur.

YOU HAVE WALKED FOR DOLCE&GABBANA, AND ATTENDED THE BAL DES DÉBUTANTES. WHAT WAS MOST EXCITING?

All these were great experiences but the highlight for me was playing in the Polo World Cup for our country. That feeling you get while wearing the jersey with the Indian flag on it and to represent our country—I am very proud of it.

WHEN DID YOU REALISE THAT POLO IS SOMETHING YOU ARE GOING TO DEDICATE YOURSELF TO?

Growing up, I was scared as I saw my father and grandfather play, and get injured. But my boarding school had polo and I wanted to try because it’s a legacy in our family. I would be ashamed to not carry it forward. So, I gave it a try and, once bitten by the bug,
there was no looking back. Sports is a
platform where people from all walks of
life come together. Also, a sport teaches
you a lot of lessons that nothing else in
life can. I always say that my goal in life
is to win the World Cup. 

Clothing, Raymond.

 WHAT’S THE ONE PLACE YOU HAVEN’T VISITED AND YOU REALLY WANT TO?

I am dying to go to Hawaii. The polo ground there is literally five metres from the beach and mountains, and it’s beautiful. I’m going to Argentina soon because that’s the home of polo and, for a polo player, it’s almost like Mecca. You’ve got to go and pay your tribute every year. I would also like to travel a little more in Italy for my studies.

DO YOU THINK THAT POLO IS WELL-FUNDED IN THIS COUNTRY, OR THE GOVERNMENT COULD DO MORE FOR THE SPORT?

We are, fortunately, in very good condition at the moment. Twenty years ago, when there was no money, the Army had to fund polo because it was dying. But, the tide has turned. It’s re-gaining that reputation where people want to be associated with it and its image of glamour. It’s one of the most expensive sports in the world and we have a lot of talent in India but, due to lack of funds, they are just not able to sustain their passion. Thanks to the sponsors now getting involved, more young players are coming up. It’s a sport that India has so much history in. We can even claim to be one of the countries where it originated. So, as a sign of respect and for preserving the sport’s national identity, there definitely could be some help from the government. 

All clothing, his own. Shawl, New & Lingwood.

 APART FROM
 POLO, IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE
YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT?

I love
travelling but I do know that my final
destination is home. Jaipur and my family’s legacy is something I am very, very passionate about. I want to work towards restoring the beautiful palaces that we have in India and give them a platform to compete with those in Europe. They are almost as beautiful, with a much richer history. I am studying art history because I never paid attention to all these things until I went to New York. There, I saw a different side of life, a society with very little history but with their own version of culture. That’s when I realised that what we have is valuable.

WHAT IS IT LIKE BEING A MILLENNIAL PRINCE?

It’s a lot of pressure and responsibility, but I take pride in it and know that I am fortunate to be born into this family, to represent so many years of history and culture. I really enjoy bringing people to our home, showing them our little world here. Also, I am 20 years old and still have my life ahead of me, but you’ve got to find the balance between the public and private life. I listen to everyone’s advice but take my own decisions, that’s very important to me.

YOU’RE A VERY DAPPER MAN AND I’VE NOTICED YOU ALWAYS HAVE QUIRKY SOCKS ON. WHAT IS YOUR SENSE OF STYLE?

For many generations, gentlemen have been dressing simply and I don’t see why one needs to change that. At the same time, I respect people that believe in different styles of fashion because the beauty of fashion is variety. I love to wear suits. What I really love is good tailoring and good fabrics, and both are easily available in India. When I went to Mexico, I picked up a Mexican belt. In Argentina, I like picking up hats. I believe, as per my age, I should always wear a little bit of colour. About the socks: One of my friends gave me 20 pairs of socks in different colours as a birthday present.

WHO IS YOUR STYLE ICON?

I love the way Prince Charles dresses. It’s very, very simple but very classy.

WHAT KIND OF BRANDS, INDIAN OR INTERNATIONAL, DO YOU LIKE WEARING REGULARLY?

I love wearing Mr Raghvendra Rathore’s clothes because he knows a lot about our history, and is very correct in the way he makes things. I get most of my suits made in Italy because there you have tailors who’ve been doing it for generations, and are now perfect at it. Italy and England are two places I love buying my Western clothes from.

“I love travelling but I do know that my final destination is home.”

CREDITS:Photographer: Signe Vilstrup at Anima Creative Management Fashion editor: Ayesha NigamFashion stylist: Shaurya AthleyFashion assistant: Avantika MakkerLocation courtesy: City Palace, Jaipur