Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat visited Jaipur on Sunday, 24 May 2026, to pay his respects to the late Narpatmal Lodha, former Advocate General of the Rajasthan government, and personally consoled the bereaved family at their residence.

Posting on X during his Jaipur visit, Shekhawat wrote: 'जयपुर प्रवास के दौरान आज राजस्थान सरकार के पूर्व महाधिवक्ता स्वर्गीय श्री नरपतमल लोढ़ा जी को श्रद्धासुमन अर्पित किए।' ('During my Jaipur stay today, I offered floral tributes to the late Narpatmal Lodha ji, former Advocate General of the Rajasthan government.'). He added that he visited the family home to offer condolences to the bereaved members.

The minister concluded his message with the words: 'Lodha ji's passing has left a void. His good deeds will keep his memory eternal. Om Shanti!'

Context

Narpatmal Lodha served as the Advocate General of Rajasthan, the state's highest constitutional law officer responsible for advising the government on legal matters and representing it before courts. The Advocate General holds one of the most senior positions in a state's legal establishment, appointed by the Governor on the advice of the state cabinet.

Shekhawat is a Lok Sabha MP from Jodhpur, Rajasthan, and has long maintained close ties with the state's political and professional circles. His personal visit to the Lodha family residence underscores the standing Lodha commanded within Rajasthan's legal and public life.

Policy Backdrop

It is a well-established practice in Indian politics for senior national and state leaders to publicly acknowledge the passing of former senior officials and legal officers. In Rajasthan, where the BJP has a significant organisational presence, such tributes also serve to reinforce the party's connection with the state's professional communities.

The Advocate General's office in Rajasthan has historically been a prestigious position, with its occupants often playing a pivotal role in shaping the state's legal policy and its defence before the Supreme Court and Rajasthan High Court. Former Advocate Generals are typically held in high regard across party lines within the legal fraternity.

Stakeholders and Impact

The tribute is significant for Rajasthan's legal community, which loses a senior figure who served the state at the highest level of its law department. Bar associations and senior advocates in Jaipur are among those who would feel the impact of Lodha's passing most directly.

BJP leaders in Rajasthan, along with members of the state government, are expected to issue their own statements of condolence. The personal nature of Shekhawat's visit — calling on the family at their home rather than issuing only a social media post — reflects the regard in which Lodha was held by the political establishment.

What's Next

Further tributes from the Rajasthan government, the Rajasthan High Court Bar Association, and other senior BJP functionaries are anticipated in the coming days. It remains to be seen whether any formal memorial or institutional recognition is announced in Lodha's honour by the state administration.

The passing of a former Advocate General inevitably raises questions about the legacy he leaves in the state's legal institutions, and how the government and the bar choose to commemorate that contribution in the long term.