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New Delhi — Union Home Minister Amit Shah extended his congratulations to Kanpur MP Ramesh Awasthi for organising the Bharat Mango Festival at Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi, commending the event’s role in celebrating farmers and showcasing India’s vast mango diversity. In a letter to Awasthi, Shah appreciated the initiative’s contribution to honouring cultivators from across the country and connecting them with technology, markets, and research support.

The festival, which began as Awasthi’s initiative 18 years ago, has grown into a national platform that now features over 350 mango varieties, structured farmer sessions, and the signature farmer felicitation ceremony. This year, more than 50 farmers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, and West Bengal were honoured for their achievements in organic farming, bio-fertiliser use, advanced storage and grading, and creating new market linkages.

Delhi LG VK Saxena inaugurated the event, which was attended by over 18 Union ministers—BL Verma, Ramdas Athawale, Shripad Naik, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Bhagirath Choudhary, S P Singh Baghel, Virendra Kumar, Savitri Thakur, Prataprao Jadhav, Rajbhushan Chaudhary, Harsh Malhotra, Token Sahu, Ravneet Singh Bittu, Ramnath Thakur, Ajay Tamta, Durga Das, Nimuben Patel, and Anurag Thakur—along with more than 200 MPs and former President Ram Nath Kovind. Eminent personalities from cinema, literature, education, art, science, law, journalism, and spirituality also marked their presence.

Highlights included displays of mango varieties such as Dasheri, Chausa, Kesar, Safeda, Alphonso, Banganpalli, Fazli, Neelam, and Mallika, with the ‘Modi Mango’ drawing significant public interest. A millet-based community lunch, part of the national Shree Anna movement, offered tastings paired with insights on incorporating millets into daily diets.

Cultural performances by poet Kumar Vishwas, singer Ankit Tiwari, poet Kavita Tiwari, and actor Arbaaz Khan entertained attendees. Letters from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Home Minister Amit Shah praised Awasthi’s consistent efforts in empowering farmers and enhancing the profile of Indian mangoes globally.