Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur, the scion of the House of Mewar, has become the first Indian ever to win at the annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance event in California.
Shriji’s 1924 Rolls-Royce 20 HP, Barker Tourer (GLK 21), which was selected by the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance panel to participate in this year’s 62nd event, won the prestigious Lucius Beebe Trophy on August 19, 2012. The trophy is awarded to the Rolls-Royce considered most in the tradition of Lucius Beebe who served among Pebble Beach’s early judges.
After being put out to pasture in a corner at the Zenana Mahal in The City Palace, the RR GLK 21 was spotted by Shriji who then gave expression to his passion for restoring classic cars and resurrected it to its former glory. “By participating in this event, we want to showcase our legacy and our heritage – because today ‘Living Heritage’ has more currency than luxury whose definition is so dynamic,” Shriji said, after his win.
The House of Mewar has always encouraged various car rallies by actively supporting them. The participation in the Pebble Beach event is another illustration of the royal family’s commitment to protect and showcase their living heritage in order to promote the idea and its importance.
