Kolkata-born sisters Mrinalika M Bhanj Deo and Akshita M Bhanj Deo promote local art and culture

As young entrepreneurs make their mark in the world of business, young royals are following this trend by establishing their presence in different industries.
Mrinalika M Bhanj Deo and Akshita M Bhanj Deo are the second and third daughters of Praveen Chandra Bhanjdeo, the 47th ruler of the Bhanja dynasty, part of India’s princely state of Mayurbhanj, part of Orissa, a state in eastern India. Their mother is Rashmi Rajyalaxmi Bhanjdeo, from the royal family of Jaisalmer, and their father’s mother is Maharani Bharati Rajya Lakshmi Devi, daughter of Nepal’s late King Tribhuvan, and the aunt of the current king.
Technically, India’s royalty lost their official powers in 1947, but while the ceremonial elites remains, Mrinalika, 28, and Akshita, 26, are not your average pampered heiresses. Beyond attending Le Bal des Debutantes in Paris a few years ago, to represent India alongside debutantes and cavaliers from the Kennedys and the Windsors, the sisters are focused on promoting local art and culture, running a sustainable boutique palace hotel, and embracing eco-tourism in Orissa.