Varanasi: The Odia Diaspora Meet, organised as part of Odisha Parab 2026 in Varanasi, brought together members of the Odia community, cultural personalities, professionals, academics and entrepreneurs to strengthen their cultural, social and economic connect with Odisha.
The programme was graced by Smt. Pravati Parida, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha, as Chief Guest; Shri Anil Rajbhar, Hon’ble Minister for Labour and Employment, Coordination, Government of Uttar Pradesh; Dr. Bijay Ketan Upadhyaya, IAS, Secretary, Department of Odia Language, Literature & Culture, Government of Odisha.
Padma Shri Sribhas Chandra Supakar; Prof. Gopabandhu Mishra, President, Varanasi Odia Samaj; and Shri Prateek Hira, Chairperson, FICCI UP Tourism Committee, joined as Guests of Honour.
The second day of Odisha Parab 2026 also featured Tourism Investor and Business-to-Government (B2G) interactions, providing a platform for government representatives, investors and industry stakeholders to explore opportunities for collaboration and investment in Odisha’s tourism sector.
A dedicated Tourism Roadshow showcased Odisha’s diverse tourism potential, highlighting 15 master destinations, including Puri, Konark, Ratnagiri, Udayagiri, Lalitgiri, Hirakud, Chilika, Bhitarkanika and Similipal. The roadshow also highlighted opportunities in eco-tourism, wildlife, adventure and experiential tourism, besides showcasing Odisha’s significant MICE potential and the incentive structure available for tourism investments.
The event reflected the broader aspirations of Odisha Vision 2036 and Odisha Vision 2047, with tourism positioned as an important driver of a prosperous, inclusive, sustainable and globally recognised Odisha.