In the Wild: How SUJAN Redefined Luxury Hospitality Through Conservation

As the sun dips behind the granite hills of Jawai Bandh, the landscape turns a burnished shade of gold. Shepherds guide their flocks home, temple bells echo faintly in the distance, and the dramatic outcrops of the Aravalli range stretch long shadows across the scrubland. Then, almost imperceptibly, movement appears on the rocks. A leopard emerges onto a sun-warmed boulder, surveying the valley below.

For guests staying at SUJÁN JAWAI, encounters like this are not staged spectacles but part of the rhythm of the landscape. There are no crowds of safari vehicles or hurried sightings only the quiet privilege of watching wildlife unfold on its own terms.

This sense of intimacy with the wilderness defines SUJÁN, a family-owned collection of camps that has spent the past quarter century redefining the relationship between luxury travel and conservation in India.

A Different Beginning

The story began in 2000 with the opening of SUJÁN Sher Bagh, one of India’s earliest luxury tented camps. Founded by Jaisal Singh when he was just twenty, the project introduced a different vision for wildlife travel.

“Wildlife tourism in India existed,” Singh recalls, “but it was largely transactional. You arrived, went on safari, and left. The forest was a backdrop.”

His aim was to shift that perspective. Instead of placing guests at the centre, Singh envisioned the wilderness itself as the host with tourism supporting its protection.

“What I sought to do,” he says, “was reposition the wilderness as your host, and ourselves, and our guests, as its custodians.”

A Legacy Rooted in Conservation

The philosophy was shaped by Singh’s upbringing. His family purchased land near Ranthambore National Park in the 1970s, long before it became one of India’s most celebrated tiger reserves.

Growing up around conservationists including his uncle, the renowned wildlife expert Valmik Thapar Singh saw protecting the landscape as a responsibility rather than an abstract idea.

From the outset, Sher Bagh reflected this mindset. The camp operated largely off the grid, with rainwater harvesting, organic gardens, and staff trained from surrounding villages. The idea was simple: if the wilderness thrived, tourism would thrive alongside it.

“If the tiger thrives in Ranthambore, our business thrives,” Singh says. “The relationship must remain symbiotic.”

Expanding With Purpose

Over the past twenty-five years, SUJÁN has grown into a small portfolio of destination-led retreats across Rajasthan. These include SUJÁN The Serai, set within the dunes of the Thar Desert, and Jawai, known for its thriving leopard population.

Each property is designed as a distinct destination rather than part of a repeatable template.

“We don’t take one blueprint and replicate it,” Singh says. “Every camp must feel entirely rooted in its landscape.”

That philosophy has also shaped the pace of growth. While many hospitality brands expand rapidly, SUJÁN has opened only a handful of properties over two and a half decades.

“Growth for us isn’t about adding pins to a map,” Singh explains. “It’s about deepening purpose.”

Conservation as Business Strategy

Conservation sits at the core of the company’s model. Across its landscapes, SUJÁN has planted more than 100,000 trees, while rewilding initiatives in Jawai alone have helped place over 150 square kilometres under protection.

Community work is equally central. The company supports thirteen schools serving more than 11,000 students, while a mobile medical unit operating in Jawai has treated over 55,000 patients since 2018. Today, more than 80 percent of SUJÁN’s workforce comes from Rajasthan.

“These initiatives are not philanthropy,” Singh says. “They are the foundation of the business.”

Recognition on the Global Stage

The approach has earned SUJÁN international recognition. In 2024, SUJÁN JAWAI was named among the World’s 50 Best Hotels, the only property in India to appear on the list that year.

Meanwhile, Sher Bagh has continued to receive global accolades from publications including Condé Nast Traveller and Tatler.

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For Singh, however, awards remain secondary to the broader mission.

“The success of our camps,” he says, “is inseparable from the health of the landscapes around them.”

Rethinking Luxury

As luxury travel increasingly shifts toward experiences that feel meaningful and personal, SUJÁN’s philosophy feels particularly relevant.

For Singh, luxury is not defined by excess but by access: the opportunity to experience extraordinary landscapes in a way that is intimate and respectful.

“True luxury,” he says, “is the privilege of experiencing the wild on its own terms.”

Today, when SUJÁN considers new projects, three questions guide every decision: Is the landscape ecologically significant? Can tourism improve conservation outcomes? And will the local community benefit?

“If the answer to any one of those questions is no,” Singh says, “we walk away.”

Looking Ahead

As SUJÁN moves beyond its twenty-fifth year, the company is quietly exploring opportunities for new projects in India and abroad. The principles, however, remain unchanged: low-density development, architectural sensitivity, measurable conservation impact, and strong partnerships with local communities.

“At the end of the day,” Singh reflects, “we are not building hotels. We are building long-term guardianship.”

In an era where luxury travel is increasingly defined by purpose, that philosophy may well be SUJÁN’s most enduring legacy.