About Us
KHEM VILLAS, RANTHAMBHORE
Khem Villas, is a jungle camp established by Usha and Goverdhan Singh Rathore along with Pritam Singh on the outskirts of Ranthambhore. Goverdhan is the son of Fateh Singh Rathore one of India’s leading Tiger experts who is also aptly referred to as the founding father of Ranthambhore helping put the park on the Tiger Map of the World.
The People
Goverdhan grew up living inside Ranthambhore learning about the Tiger and its natural life first hand under the guidance of his father. His love for the Park and its Tiger was so powerful that after he graduated from medical school he started a project around the park with the local people to help save the Tiger. As a result of this program today there is a comprehensive Tiger conservation program unlike any in India. It has won him the Green Oscar in 2004 given to him by Sir David Attenborough at the Royal Geographic Society in London for his work in the field of alternative energy using cow dung in biogas digesters. His other project have helped establish a school, hospital, wood for wood project, biogas, nonformal environment education, legal aid to combat poaching and an antipoaching sting operation along with another NGO Tiger Watch that helped nab some of the most prominent poachers in 2005 helping establish the fact that 20 Tigers had been killed in Ranthambhore, ultimately forcing the govt. to step up the protection of the Tiger.
Pritam runs Anokhi a company that helped revive the tradition of hand block printing in Rajasthan. The company employ’s over 3000 people mainly women all over Rajasthan as full time and part time workers. His commitment to Ranthambhore and Tiger conservation lead to the establishment of a state of the art tailoring unit in Ranthambhore in 2006 which will finally employ nearly 150 people in an effort to generate local employment and thus contribute towards making people less dependant on the park and its resources for a livelihood, ultimately helping the Tiger. Today it exports exquisitely hand crafted fashion clothing and furnishings all over the world. He grew up coming to Ranthambhore as a child as a result of his parents’ passion for the Tiger and conservation values.
Usha ran a successful tented camp in Ranthambhore for six years and will be a natural hostess at the camp ensuring a truly amazing experience, which includes delightful food, made from home grown organic vegetables making your experience a memorable one.
