Tales from the Jodhpur One World Retreat

The second edition of the Jodhpur One World Retreat came to a close last Sunday, with Gaj Singh II seeing off the guests over brunch, hosted at his private gardens. The two-day spectacle saw the rich and famous come together for a good cause, all the while having a good time. Here's what happened on the sidelines:
Recording the memories

On the first day, guests proceeded to Mehrangarh Fort after the inauguration of the Jodhpur Art Summit at Umaid Bhawan. The evening was infused with the music of Rajasthani folk artists, stationed along the path. As servers kept up the supply of champagne, guests were greeted with showers of rose petals.

Few could resist the temptation of recording the performances or clicking selfies. Philipp von Sahr, president, BMW Group India, used up quite a few megabytes of memory on his iPhone (with a Goddess Laxmi phone cover), recording all those folk performances.

Choosing art over experiences

On the second evening, guests proceeded to Umaid Bhawan's Baradari Lawns. As the room housing the art summit emptied out, a few art lovers made their way back to look at the paintings in peace. Pramit Jhaveri, CEO, Citi India and wife Mukeeta, both art collectors, went around the room with Sajjan Jindal, CMD, JSW Steel, discussing the works on display. The Jhaveris and Jindals did not participate in the Christie's auction, perhaps choosing instead to donate by buying a few pieces. While the purchases can't be confi rmed, there was much interest in the Delhi-based Gallery Espace's twin Waswo X Waswo paintings and the Alibaug-based The Guild's GR Iranna.

Apollo confirms, Fortis shows up

Apollo Hospitals has been an important partner of the Indian Head Injury Foundation (IHIF), with its honorary medical director, Dr Rajendra Prasad, based at Apollo Delhi. Not surprisingly then, Suneeta Reddy, MD, Apollo Hospitals, was expected to attend the retreat. She could not make it, but her competitor-peer, Shivinder Singh, executive vice chairman of Fortis Healthcare, dropped in with wife Aditi. During the thought sessions, a public appeal was made to Singh and his peers in the medical sector to partner with the cause. An offer that's likely to fi nd acceptance at his end, sooner than later.

Not all work, no play

The retreat ended on a high note. The performance by the Shillong Chamber Choir and Vienna Chamber Orchestra set the bar high. After the fi rst act, followed by a break for dinner, the Shillong Choir returned to set the mood for the after party, belting out a mix of popular English, Hindi and some Latin dance numbers. Guests swung to classics like Queen's 'We Will Rock You' and ABBA's 'Dancing Queen'. Seen fi ring up the dance fl oor were the members of the royal family, Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, Shivinder and Aditi Singh, Mukeeta Jhaveri and Sangita Jindal.



Pramit Jhaveri, CEO, Citi India with wife Mukeeta



Sangita and Sajjan Jindal, CMD JSW Steel



Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York and Amin Jaffer, international director-Asian Art, Christie’s



Philipp von Sahr, president, BMW Group India, Deepa Harris of Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces, Eva von Sahr, Colvyn Harris of JWT