Lok Sabha Speaker, Tourism Minister inaugurate Bharat Parv 2026

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Monday inaugurated the six-day national culture and tourism festival Bharat Parv 2026 at Red Fort in New Delhi. During the event, Birla said that this festival will serve as a platform for strengthening India’s cultural heritage. He said that through this festival, people will get to witness the culture of different states and regions. Birla added that this initiative will play a crucial role in increasing the tourism potential of the nation. 
Speaking on the occasion, Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat noted that through this festival, visitors will gain a deeper understanding of the country’s traditions, folk arts, crafts, cuisines, and tourism destinations, thereby strengthening people’s connection with the nation’s heritage.  
The event will see participation from 34 State Tourism Pavilions and 24 Central Ministry stalls, and leading institutions and organisations from across the country.'Bharat Parv' is the tourism ministry's flagship annual event celebrating India's rich cultural, artistic, culinary, and spiritual heritage while promoting the national initiatives 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat' and 'Dekho Apna Desh'. Over the years, the festival has evolved into a major platform showcasing India’s unity in diversity and tourism potential. This year’s 'Bharat Parv' holds special significance as it marks 150 years of "Vande Mataram," the iconic song that inspired India’s freedom movement and symbolises unity, cultural pride and love for the motherland. The theme reflects the constitutional spirit of unity in diversity and people's participation, the ministry said.