The inaugural edition of Indian Lighthouse Festival commenced in Goa on September 23. The three-day festival will extend its celebration to all lighthouses throughout the country.

India’s lighthouses have been crucial navigational aids for ships throughout centuries, bearing witness to the country’s maritime heritage. In an endeavour to celebrate these majestic structures, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated India’s first Lighthouse Festival at the historic Fort Aguada in Goa on Saturday, September 23. The three-day festival was aimed at transforming the historic lighthouses into tourist hotspots.

During the inaugural ceremony the Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal said, “With the launch of this festival, we are enabling a process to rejuvenate the age-old classics in 75 Lighthouses across coastal India with the sole purpose to unravel the rich heritage of these iconic sites and present them to the world. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi ji, India is surging ahead towards becoming an Atmanirbhar Bharat”. Appreciating Prime Minister Modi’s insightful decision-making, he further added, “In this pious effort of nation-building, we are trying to bring the vision of Modi ji to life by making the iconic Lighthouses become catalysts of educational, cultural and tourist hotspots.” Sonowal also emphasized the importance of India taking a leading role in global maritime trade.

Various other dignitaries attended the event including, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Union Minister of State Shripad Naik, and Goa tourism minister Rohan Khaunte, among others.

Delighted at the launch of this event, PM Modi posted on social media, “Glad to see growing enthusiasm towards Lighthouses as key tourist spots. Here is what I had said during Mann Ki Baat on the topic”, and provided a link to his Mann ki Baat episode on the promotion of tourism and lighthouses in India.

This festival is a part of the ‘Lighthouse Heritage Tourism’ campaign, which aims to revamp 75 historic lighthouses across India and promote them as tourist spots, showcasing their cultural significance and economic potential.

According to an official statement, The Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) recognized the Indian Lighthouse Festival as a chance to strengthen the Public Private Partnership approach towards enhancing historical structures into attractive tourist destinations.

The government wants to explore Public-Private Partnerships to make public services better by using technology and innovation from private companies. India’s lighthouses can offer mesmerizing vantage point to admire breathtaking panoramic view of the coastline of the beach with azure-blue water in the sea, attracting numerous visitors. This will in turn help in the growth of local businesses, creation of jobs strengthening the local economy reducing poverty and inequality. So, the Indian Lighthouse Festival is not just about preserving the structures but unlocking economic opportunities by highlighting Indian maritime heritage. 

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