The opening exhibition titled “Long Exposure: The Camera at Udaipur, 1857-1957” provides a photographic overview of the reign of five successive Maharanas of Mewar at Udaipur captured through the lingering gaze of the camera. This exhibition has been made possible by the generous loan of material from the Pictorial Archives of the Maharanas of Mewar. These archives are comprised of photographic materials ranging from glass-plate negatives, card photographs, photomontages, and painted photographs. Printing processes like albumen, platinum and gelatin silver extending from the mid 19th to the early 20th centuries are well represented. The collection also includes cameras and other photographic equipment from this period. The newly restored and refurbished rooms at the Bhagwat Prakash Gallery, within the City Palace Museum, Udaipur are a significant benchmark in the creation of world-class exhibition spaces in India.

Colonel James Tod Award
The Colonel James Tod Award is an International Award that has been instituted to honour a foreign national who, like Tod, has contributed through his works of permanent value an understanding of the spirit and values of Mewar. Colonel Tod spent a great deal of time and personal resources in the collection of historical documents, inscriptions, bardic accounts and genealogies of the Rajput houses and paintings from Rajasthan. When he returned to England Colonel Tod continued his research, culminating in the publication of Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan (2 vols, 1829, 1832).
This year's awardee, Dr. Milo C. Beach was presented with a ceremonial shawl, a silver “Toran” plaque of honour, a felicitation certificate and a cash award of Rs 51.000. Mr. Beach retired in 2001 from a life time career as a museum director, teacher, and scholar of Indian painting. He has lectured extensively and organized exhibitions internationally on paintings from Rajasthan, most especially Devgarh in Mewar. He held curatorial positions at the Museum of Fine arts, Boston and the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University before heading the new Arthur M. Sackler Gallery at the Smithsonian Institution where he initiated research, exhibition, education, and publication programmes that helped both to give the arts of Asia greater prominence within the mainstream of cultural life in America, and to break down the idea that Asian art was a topic for specialists.

Haldi Ghati Award
In the valley of Haldi Ghati in 1576 A.D. Kunwar Man Singh of Amber led the Mughal armies against Rana Pratap who on his incomparable white stallion Chetak carried the crimson banner of Mewar into the thrust of the battle. For the first time in fifty years the Mughals suffered a setback and Haldi Ghati shattered the myth of their invincibility.
Rana Pratap is a national hero on account of his commitment to preserve the independence of Mewar, at any cost, despite heavy odds stacked against him. Even now his life inspires those who revere the values of living with self respect and self reliance.

From left: Mr. Pramod Kumar,
Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur and
Mr. Ebrahim Alkazi at the photography exhibition



Dr. Milo C. Beach receiving Colonel James Tod Award
from Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur

Dr. Ved Pratap Vaidik receiving Haldi Ghati Award
from Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur