Kolkata will host the 19th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas from January 7 to 9, 2027, with the West Bengal government forming 14 working committees and assigning the home department as the nodal agency for preparations. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the plans while launching the event website in Delhi and invited the global Indian diaspora to experience Bengal’s culture, heritage and hospitality.
The state government will provide information through the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas portal to help delegates plan their visit. The proposed content will cover hotels and homestays, tourism packages, transport options, shopping destinations, religious and spiritual sites, and cultural events scheduled around the convention.
Adhikari said West Bengal was ready to organise the event and assured External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his team that the state had the infrastructure required to host it. He also invited visitors to stay in Kolkata and visit sites including Kalighat temple and Dakshineswar temple.
The event will require coordination beyond the convention venue. The state’s preparations will involve accommodation providers, transport services, tourism agencies, cultural institutions and departments responsible for public administration and security. The formation of 14 working committees indicates that the government is treating the convention as a multi-department exercise rather than a standalone event.
Speaking to reporters later, Adhikari said the state government would follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s principle of “less talk, more work” while preparing for the convention. He said the government aimed to make the event a historic success, without providing further details on the venues, delegate numbers, budget or specific transport arrangements.
The chief minister also said Bengal was hosting an event of this scale for the first time because earlier state governments had not acted on proposals from the Centre. He argued that the state had the necessary infrastructure but had previously lacked the vision to organise major events. Those remarks were directed at the earlier Left Front and Trinamool Congress governments.
Jaishankar said Kolkata had a significant place in the history of India and the Indian diaspora. He noted that people who left the city for Mauritius, Fiji and the Caribbean carried their languages, customs and faith with them, and that their journeys helped establish a global Indian presence.
For Kolkata, the convention will place the city’s visitor infrastructure and administrative coordination under international attention. The state’s portal is expected to become an important interface for delegates, while the 14 committees will oversee preparations ahead of the January 2027 programme. Further details on venues, schedules, delegate services and transport arrangements are expected as planning advances.
