Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister. Dr. Mohan Yadav and Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat inaugurated रूहmantic: PHDCCI’s 2^nd Global Spiritual Tourism Conclave in Ujjain. The conclave was organized by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, and the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board.

 

Speaking at the occasion Union Minister of Tourism and Culture, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat hailed Ujjain’s spiritual heritage as a beacon for global tourism. “Our culture survived 2,000 years of invasions and 200 years of colonial rule, yet it remains vibrant and unbroken. From Adi Shankaracharya’s 24,000-kilometre journey spreading Indian wisdom to the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj uniting every sect and tradition, India has always guided humanity spiritually,” he said.

 

He further recalled Ujjain’s glorious history, from King Vikramaditya to Lord Krishna’s learning at Sandipani Ashram, stressing that India’s cultural influence once extended far beyond today’s borders. “Religion and culture know no frontiers, they are India’s eternal soft power,” he added.

Highlighting the Modi government’s push, the Minister noted, “Tourist inflow to Ujjain has surged so dramatically that the numbers once seen in a year now arrive in just a week. There is healthy competition among states and Madhya Pradesh, the Heart of Incredible India, has even surpassed Rajasthan in tourism growth. Today, India is undergoing a cultural renaissance, with the young generation taking pride in our traditions instead of aspiring only for the West. This resurgence will power India to soon become the world’s third-largest economy.”

Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Dr. Mohan Yadav said Baba Mahakal’s divine presence has made Ujjain a global destination symbolising India’s living traditions. “Our temples are not only places of devotion; they are foundations of democracy. With projects like the Mahakal Lok Corridor, Omkareshwar, Chitrakoot and Amarkantak developments and preparations for Simhastha 2028, we are building a model where devotion and development walk together. This conclave is a platform to showcase India’s heritage and forge global partnerships for spiritual tourism.”

 

Delivering the keynote address, Mr. Dhira Gaura Das, Spiritual Leader, ISKCON Ujjain, remarked, “Cities around the world are built with purpose – Las Vegas for entertainment, Mumbai for business and Ujjain for spirituality. With state-of-the-art facilities, Ujjain is fast emerging as one of the world’s leading pilgrimage centers. Spiritual tourism already contributes 2.5% to India’s GDP and with vision and planning, this can grow much further.”

 

Delivering the theme address, Mr. Anil Parashar, Chair – Tourism Committee, PHDCCI, said, “Spiritual tourism is one of the largest collective movements in the world. Over 1.4 billion pilgrim visits took place in India in 2022 alone, accounting for nearly two-thirds of all domestic tourism. The Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 saw 66 crore devotees, the largest gathering in human history. With Simhastha 2028 preparations underway – new bridges, roads and ghats, Ujjain is poised to be a global hub of spiritual tourism.”

Mr. Sheo Shekhar Shukla (IAS), Principal Secretary – Tourism, Government of Madhya Pradesh, said, “Madhya Pradesh hosted 130 million tourists in 2024, a 20% annual rise. Ujjain alone attracted 70 million devotees. With Mahakal Lok, Omkareshwar’s Shankaracharya statue, Janapav and Amarkantak projects, Madhya Pradesh is scripting a new chapter in cultural tourism. From riverfront revival to heritage conservation and crowd management systems, our goal is to make every pilgrimage safe, accessible and memorable. Collaboration between temple trusts, government and industry is central to this mission.”

Mr. Sanjeev Agrawal, Chair – MP Chapter, PHDCCI, remarked, “In recent years, we have seen transformational projects such as the Mahakal Corridor place our state on the global map. With partnerships forged here today, Madhya Pradesh is poised to become a benchmark of sustainable and inclusive spiritual tourism.”

In his opening remarks, Dr. Ranjeet Mehta, CEO & Secretary General, PHDCCI, said, “India’s spiritual tourism is an economic and cultural powerhouse. Under the leadership of CM, Dr. Yadav, spiritual tourism in Madhya Pradesh is advancing rapidly, giving Ujjain a distinct identity worldwide. PHDCCI is ready to work with the state government to explore every opportunity in the tourism sector.”

Mr. Rajan Sehgal, Co-Chair – Tourism Committee, PHDCCI, remarked, “This conclave has brought together an extraordinary confluence of leaders from government, spiritual institutions and industry. Together, we must carry forward India’s eternal role as the land of spirituality.”

The inaugural session witnessed the release of the PHDCCI-KPMG Report on Spiritual Tourism, ‘Faith & Flow: Navigating Crowds in India’s Sacred Spaces’, which analyses the economic impact of pilgrim flows, identifies opportunities for technology & wellness integration and recommends models of sustainable pilgrim management.

A closed-door Government-Industry roundtable chaired by CM Dr. Yadav with Union Minister Shekhawat, featured corporates, temple trusts, wellness experts, tech companies, hospitality leaders and aviation players. Investment announcements included Sage Group’s Medicity projects in Bhopal and Indore, Radisson Hotels’ expansion in Ujjain, Sri Mandir’s digital pilgrim services and Indigo Airlines’ plan to increase flight frequency ahead of Simhastha 2028.

A knowledge-sharing session connected Mahakal Temple administrators and district collectors of MP with Mela Authority of Prayagraj and temple heads of Tirupati and Shirdi, exchanging best practices on crowd management, sanitation and technology, paving the way for a collaborative framework of temple management across India.

The day-long deliberations featured diverse sessions: -

• Temple Economies: Where Faith Meets Livelihood, hosted by Mr. Samit Garg, MD, E-Factor Experiences, featuring Mr. Prashant Mukund Das, International Spiritual Guide and Senior Counsellor for ISKCON; Mr. Vishudh Brahm Anand, Trustee, Shri Anandpur Trust; Mr. Aalap Bansal, Partner KPMG India; and Mr. Atul Singh, Managing Director, MP Incoming, explored pilgrimage as driver of local economies.
• Mind, Body & Soul: Wellness as the New Spiritual Frontier, moderated by Ms. Shalini S Sharma, Assistant Secretary General, PHDCCI, with panelists Dr. Rekha Chaudhari, Global Wellness Ambassador; Chef Manjit Gill, President, IFCA; and Dr. Manoj Kutteri, CEO, Atmantan Wellness Centre, highlighted integrating Ayurveda, food, yoga and wellness into pilgrim experiences.
• Divine in the Digital – Spirituality 2.0, featured tech innovators Mr. Prashant Kumar Mishra, Founder, Durlabh Darshan; Mr. Prashant Sachan, Founder, AppsForBharat; and Mr. Aacharya Dev, Co-Founder, VAMA App, showcasing innovations like VR darshans, digital archanas and apps for pilgrims.
• Guardians of the Sacred Axis – The Jyotirlinga Circuit, presented by Dr. Dinesh Soni, Founder, Indian.Temples Research and Media Services, examined preserving the sanctity of India’s 12 Jyotirlingas amidst rising pilgrim inflows.

The day concluded with delegates visiting Shri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, experiencing Ujjain’s spiritual essence. The conclave was supported by E-Factor Experiences, Sri Mandir App, IRCTC, Mann Fleet Partners, KPMG, ADTOI, FHRAI, IATO and TAAI.

 

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Sunil Kumar Tiwari

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