Ananya Raje Scindia

SHE’S A MEMBER OF THE ERSTWHILE ROYAL FAMILY OF GWALIOR, A GIFTED ARTIST, HAS WON ACCOLADES IN DRESSAGE NATIONALLY, BUT HER DREAM IS TO WORK WITH ANIMALS AND TAKE ART THERAPY TO CHILDREN. HELLO! MEETS THE 16-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER OF JYOTIRADITYA SCINDIA AND PRIYADARSHINI RAJE, WHO’S OFF TO LE BAL, PARIS

- Nikhil Khanna

What does it take to be a modern-day princess? When asked this question, Ananya Raje Scindia, the 16-year-old daughter of Jyotiraditya Scindia and his wife, Priyadarshini Raje – the Maharaja and Maharani of Gwalior respectively – gently demurs. The word “princess” is politely put aside and instead she says, “I’m aware of my legacy and I’m very proud of it, but there’s absolutely no question of showing off about it. Growing up, here in Delhi and in Gwalior, the attention can sometimes get a bit overwhelming but you just get on with it!”

And, “getting on with it” means many things to the young princess. She’s studying at the storied British School in Delhi. That in itself could be a departure from the norm as children from grand families are usually packed off – hockey sticks and all – to creaky, slightly damp boarding schools in India’s foothills and then, to terribly upper crust establishments in England. The British School, with its student body comprising 65 nationalities from across the world, is an ideal place, then, for a new generation of royals. Ananya says, “The school has changed my perspective. The student body is so culturally diverse that it really opens your eyes.”