Join hands to document and promote cultural heritage of Rajasthan

National, 22 June 2020: Indian Premier League team, Rajasthan Royals is proud to team up with Sahapedia to launch a project which will work towards the documentation of heritage and culture in Rajasthan.  The execution of the project will be undertaken by Royal Rajasthan Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Rajasthan Royals via content creation and sharing, training of women in shelter homes for leading and hosting experiences across multiple themes. This will be a three-year partnership, that will work in three phases with the first phase running through 2020-2021.

The principal objective of the project is to increase accessibility to the different facets of Rajasthan’s alluring heritage. This will be achieved through succinct documentation and content creation across formats for the enthusiasts to enjoy. The content will be curated across themes including listing of museums in Rajasthan. The created content will be available to the audiences on Rajasthan Royals and Sahapedia websites. 

The first year of the project will also include a heritage walk training program for women in shelter homes across Jaipur. This program will include classroom sessions and field research, enabling the women to learn and develop new skill sets. The program aims to provide women in Rajasthan with an opportunity to express themselves and equip them to have an alternate source of livelihood. Sahapedia’s award-winning program, India Heritage Walks will host the curated walks by these women for diverse audiences.

Rajasthan Royals’ Executive Chairman, Ranjit Barthakur expressed his delight on the launch of the new initiative, “It\"s an honour for us to be representing a team from a state that is known for its rich history, iconic architecture and vibrant culture. Sahapedia’s impact on arts and culture through their projects has been immense. The state of Rajasthan boasts of culture, history, valour, art and much more and there is a need to digitise all these facets and make them accessible to enthusiasts. 

“At Royals, we are committed to work towards the betterment and empowerment of women in Rajasthan. All our partnerships and collaborations have had a keen focus on the development of women in our societies and through this particular collaboration we aim to continue that. We hope to not only help them learn new skills but also make them self-sufficient and provide some of them with a new lease of confidence,” added Barthakur

Sahapedia’s President, S. Ramadorai welcomed Rajasthan Royals on board. He said, “This project will collaborate with diverse groups of people. It will involve professionals in all sectors such as artists, craftspersons, hospitality and heritage experts, with a stronger focus on women. Sahapedia invites organisations in the heritage and culture industries, facilitators, and institutions such as museums to participate with us for the multiple activities that will unfold in the next year.”

Sahapedia’s Executive Director, Dr Sudha Gopalakrishnan expressed her joy on the launch of this initiative “It is a matter of delight that Sahapedia is joining hands with Rajasthan Royals in documenting the cultural heritage of Rajasthan. While the rich and diverse culture of Rajasthan is already well known to the outside world, this documentation will bring the hitherto lesser-known aspects of its heritage into sharper focus. The funding support by Rajasthan Royals to Sahapedia for this project is also an illustration of how corporates can play a visionary role towards revitalizing arts, culture, and heritage.”

Sahapedia, an online encyclopedic resource on the arts, culture, and heritage of India has many projects under its name which set the precedence for this partnership. Sahapedia is credited with multivolume documentation of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, cultural mapping of two cities (Fort Kochi and Pune), pan-India museum mapping, and exploratory website, the largest network of heritage experiences in India (65+ cities) and multiple capacity-building workshops and a training program. Sahapedia also provides annual grants and fellowships- Sahapedia-UNESCO Fellowship, Sahapedia Explore Fellowship, and the Sahapedia Frames Grant.