Lighthouse Fest to showcase maritime heritage of Visakha; to promote tourism
It is a unique initiative launched by Ministry with objective of developing India’s historic lighthouses into vibrant tourism destinations
image for illustrative purpose
Visakhapatnam: The third edition of Lighthouse Festival (Bharatiya Prakash Stambh Utsav) is being organised in Visakhapatnam on January 9 and 10 to boost lighthouse tourism and showcase the glorious past of maritime heritage.
The Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways in association with the district administration has made elaborate arrangements for Lighthouse Festival 3.0 at erstwhile MGM Theme Park near VMRDA Park. Visakhapatnam Port, set up in 1933, has a glorious past contributing to the transformation of fishermen township of Vizagapatam into the largest commercial, cosmopolitan and industrial hub of Andhra Pradesh, the second largest after Hyderabad in the two Telugu States.
The Lighthouse Festival is a unique initiative launched by the Ministry with the objective of developing India’s historic lighthouses into vibrant tourism destinations. The festival aims to bring India’s rich maritime heritage closer to the public through a celebratory atmosphere.
The event gives prominence to music, local cuisine, cultural performances, and discussions on history, offering visitors a holistic cultural experience. It seeks to blend heritage, tourism, and community participation while highlighting the significance of lighthouses along India’s vast coastline. Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal will participate in the festival along with several VVIPs..
During a chat with Bizz Buzz on Thursday, Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) Chairman Dr M Angamuthu said Visakhapatnam Lighthouse Festival-2026 is a signature event of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. He said lighthouses in the country are our heritage and they have inherent legacy and traditions. Andhra Pradesh has vast coastlines and is dotted with oldest and premier ports like Visakhapatnam with a strong maritime ecosystem since time immemorial.
Dr Angamuthu said "our Ministry's vision of converting all existing lighthouses as tourist destinations is an exemplary initiative. People of Visakhapatnam will embrace it for further strengthening its maritime tourism and leisure activities.
The festival was first successfully organised in 2023 at Fort Aguada, Goa. Subsequently, in 2024, it was expanded to other coastal locations such as Puri in Odisha, where local culture and traditions were widely showcased. Attracting investments and promoting economic development in coastal regions are also among the key objectives of the initiative.
A major focus of the Lighthouse Festival is the development of lighthouses through Public–Private Partnerships (PPP), while presenting the cultural richness of India’s coastal regions to the world. In line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the initiative aims to transform 75 historic lighthouses across the country into tourism hubs, thereby strengthening local economies and preserving India’s maritime heritage.
As part of the festival, performances by local artists, music and dance programmes, food stalls, sand art, beach activities, and interactive sessions with historians and archaeologists will be organised. After successful editions in Goa (2023) and Puri (2024), preparations were reviewed at a meeting held at the Collectorate to make it another significant step in promoting coastal tourism and maritime culture and highlighting the maritime legacy so as to encourage lighthouse tourism and leverage engagement with coastal communities.
