World's 1st Sanctuary for White Tigers Opens in Rewa,Madhya Pradesh,India Sunday April 03,2016

The sanctuary was inaugurated by Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar and CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Javadekar said the sanctuary would bring a "7-star status" to Rewa and promised to set aside funds for a safari. Chouhan added that the project would bring jobs as tourists pour in

The 25-hectare sanctuary at Mukundpur, 20km from Rewa, is currently home to only one white tiger, Vindhya.

There are two others in an adjoining zoo. Locals in Rewa consider the white tiger — the colour of whose coat is the result of a genetic aberration — a part of the city's legacy.

 The first such big cat was spotted here by erstwhile king Martand Singh in 1951.

The royal family named him Mohan, and he became "a pet, a family member", says Pushpraj Singh, Martand's son. Mohan's cubs were thereafter distributed to zoos in India and abroad.