Indian Lighthouse Festival 3.0 concluded in Visakhapatnam

The two-day Indian Lighthouse Festival 3.0 concluded on January 10 in Visakhapatnam, with Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal stating that the event helped the city emerge as “a beacon of India’s maritime heritage and coastal culture.”

High-Level Participation

• The third edition of the festival was inaugurated by former Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu.
• The event brought together policymakers, maritime authorities, cultural stakeholders and local communities to celebrate India’s lighthouse legacy.

MoU for Lighthouse Museum

• A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was exchanged between the Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) and the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL).
• The agreement aims to develop a Lighthouse Museum in Visakhapatnam, providing a significant boost to lighthouse-led tourism along India’s eastern coast.

Journey of the Indian Lighthouse Festival

• First Edition (2023):
  • Held at Fort Aguada, Goa as Bharatiya Prakash Stambh Utsav.
  • Marked the formal launch of lighthouse tourism as a national initiative.
• Second Edition (2024):
  • Organised at Puri, Odisha, with expanded outreach, new lighthouse dedications and greater community participation.
• Third Edition (2025–26):
  • Hosted at Visakhapatnam, reinforcing the role of lighthouses as hubs of culture, tourism and coastal development.

Transforming Lighthouses into Tourism Hubs

• India has a coastline of over 11,000 km and 205 lighthouses.
• Under the lighthouse tourism programme, 75 lighthouses across 10 States and Union Territories have already been developed with modern tourist facilities.

Vision and Impact

• The initiative is aligned with Maritime India Vision 2030 and Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
• It has led to increased tourist footfall, job creation, and renewed economic activity in coastal communities.

Organising Authority

• The festival is organised by the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) under the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW).