In an exclusive conversation, as a part of the special series, NewsX A-List, Kunwar Yaduveer Singh Bera spoke about his brands and mission and shared key insights with NewsX. Speaking of the origins of Bera Jackets and the story behind its popularity, he said, “Bera Jackets are not new. It has always been there in Rajasthan since the 1920s, and was introduced by my great grandfather, Thakur Prithvi Singh Bera, who was a world-class polo player and part of the legendary Jodhpur team. Thakur Prithvi Singh Bera was a man of style and in those days the tailors of Bera were known for the art of quilting, which was initially done for the polo horses. He ordered his personal tailors to make quilted jackets and phulgaar for him and that’s how it all began. The trend picked up and the Bera phulgaars and jackets were ordered by a lot of royals and also presented to their international guests,” said Yaduveer Singh.
“I started this as a brand when I came back from college. I was handling Castle Bera and I used to meet a lot of guests from all over the world and they loved these jackets that I used to wear in the evening. In 2018, my cousin called me up and asked why I don’t start a platform. I had no experience in fashion and I was confused,” continued Yaduveer Singh. However, at the age of 22, he started Bera Jackets, his own brand of clothing, and hasn’t looked back since then.
Kunwar Yaduveer Singh Bera was also given the title of “Leopard Prince” at 22 for his remarkable efforts towards the conservation of wildlife and heritage. “My father’s elder brother, known as the “Leopard Man”, was the first person who called me the “Leopard Prince”,” he said. A documentary based on his life was also released by filmmaker Gunther Machu. “An Austrian filmmaker had come to Bera and wanted to create a film about leopards and the culture and heritage of this place. That’s when he saw my work, what I was doing with the Bera jackets and all the things I had been working on. We had a discussion and decided to name it Leopard Prince.”
Talking about the origins of his mission, Yaduveer Singh said, “I come from Jawai, the leopard hills of India. My father, Thakur Baljeet Singh Bera, and uncle, Thakur Devi Singh Bera, were the pioneers of leopard safaris in Jawai. There was a time when no one believed that there were leopards in Bera Jawai, but after 20 years of hard work and dedication, both the brothers got Bera Jawai on the world map and gave employment and business opportunities to hundreds of locals.” Yaduveer Singh also started an initiative known as I-CLEAN JAWAI, with the aim of cleaning the leopard hills of India and creating awareness in the area as tourism has increased and people have started to litter the landscape of Jawai.
The scion of the Bera royal family also launched a safari adventure and outsourcing company called JB Safaris. “After the Covid-19 induced lockdown, I wanted a no-contact sort of setup where people could come for safaris and carry on without having to stay in a hotel. That was the logic behind starting with the safaris. We are running Castle Bera but if our guests don’t want to spend the night, they can come directly for a safari and leave,” he informed.
Yaduveer also conducted a ‘Safari with the Leopard Prince of India’ in partnership with Dubai Tourism, Singapore Tourism and Incredible India. It was India’s first successful live virtual safari during the pandemic and helped to spread awareness about conservation in schools all over the world.
Returning to the subject of Bera Jackets and explaining his mission to promote the local arts and crafts of the area, revive the art of quilting under the brand name and increase employment, Yaduveer said, “I believe that we can find immense hidden talent and make world-class products if we empower rural India and give them facilities and support. It is the duty of the youth of India to not just follow international brands but create indigenous brands which can compete internationally. There are so many others in India’s rural parts where artisans need attention. With Jawai’s story, I have seen it happen in front of my eyes since childhood. There was a time when I had to convince my friends that we have leopards in our area, and now when I talk about Jawai, everybody knows about them. I have seen this turn into a destination from nothing. And now it’s on the world map because of dedication and teamwork.”