Bollywood couple Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani tied the knot earlier this year in a dreamy ceremony at a luxurious heritage property in the desert city of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. The actors’ wedding saw Jaisalmer turn into a starry town with a glamorous and memorable affair at the luxurious Suryagarh Palace Hotel.
The Suryagarh is a palace-turned-luxury 5 star property which made Sidharth and Kiara fall in love with it so much that they decided to take their solemn vows at the venue. The property isn’t old but its construction is inspired by 17th century architectural design. The property has majestic views of the Thar Desert. It offers an infinity pool, two gardens, a courtyard and 83 rooms.
The property is owned by Manvendra Singh Shekhawat, who is not a prince or from any royal lineage, as he had once explicitly pointed out. He is a second-generation businessman who runs the MRS Group as Managing Director. The MRS Group is a hospitality company that not just owns the Suryagarh Jaisalmer but other luxury properties like Narendra Bhawan in Bikaner and the famous Laxmi Niwas Palace.
While Manvendra Singh Shekhawat does not belong to a royal family, he has been incorrectly referred to as a prince. It happened when an episode of a famous cooking show featured the Suryagarh Palace as the venue and mentioned the episode as a "royal engagement of Prince Manvendra". He later clarified to media outlets that he isn't a prince.
The company behind the luxurious heritage properties was founded by Manvendra’s father Meghraj Singh Shekhawat with just Rs 1400 investment. He worked for years as a chef before embarking on a journey as a businessman and ending up as a top hotelier in Rajasthan with a business worth hundreds of crores. He identified the need for luxurious hotels in Rajasthan’s tourist destinations. The 67-room Gorbandh Palace established in 1992 was his first venture.
