Hemendra has always had an intense passion for the arts, and he believes the secret to his happiness is that very passion. His aim is to elevate art and artists to a level where people recognize and value them.

Hemendra Pujari is an Art Collector and Curator at Shyam Arts. He belongs to a family of priests, who have been performing the daily rituals in the iconic Jagdish Temple of Udaipur for more than 350 years.

Hemendra shares that he found and collected his first painting at the age of thirteen from garbage while returning from school, for which he was scolded by his mother. It was actually thrown away by his mother, as she thought it was of no use to the temple. Little did she know that it was a Pichwai painting from the 19th century. After completing his schooling, he started his career in the tourism industry. He learned Spanish in Mumbai and worked with many people there. He became a tourist manager when he came back to Udaipur.

Hemendra says that he has over a decade of experience in the tourism industry and has toured the entire nation, introducing Americans and Spaniards to our rich history, traditions, and cultural landmarks. He has also benefited greatly from the exposure, as he has always loved learning about art. He used to bring back souvenirs and little works of art from every place he visited. His friends advised him to turn his pastime into a career. He opened his own boutique store in 2006 in his old haveli, showcasing items he had collected while traveling. In 2009, he opened Shyam Arts, an art gallery in Saheliyon ki Bari. He has been gathering art pieces from all over the nation ever since, with a particular interest in Morphed Spiritual Art, which has captured the attention of art enthusiasts.

Hemendra states that he is collaborating with other artists and has plans for setting up a museum. He has been working on various forms of art and trying to revive forgotten genres, including miniature painting, Pichwai art, and Koftgari. He has recently launched a campaign to revive the ancient customs connected to Sanjhi arts and Govardhan pooja. His purpose is to raise people's knowledge of the rich cultural heritage of traditional paintings and artwork.

When asked about his role models, Hemendra says that Lord Jagannath has been his guide in his entire life and feels blessed to be a part of a family of priests that has been serving the temple for the past many years. He mentions that he feels very happy and content listening to thakur ji’s aarti in the temple.

Talking about his struggles, Hemendra says he believes that nothing worthwhile in life comes easily and that we must work really hard to overcome obstacles. He reveals that, at the age of fifteen, he worked as an assistant at an art gallery only to interact with artists and learn about various forms of art. He worked at a number of art galleries prior to becoming a tourism manager. He considers himself fortunate that his spouse and parents have encouraged him in his work.

Hemendra thinks education is a must in whatever field we are pursuing, and then comes experience, through which we can strive towards our goals.

To the upcoming generation, Hemendra would like to tell them that we must not just run behind modernity blindly but should also appreciate our rich artistic heritage.