Indiatourism, Mumbai, the Regional Office of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in association with the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition, Raipur, will organise the “Dekho Apna Desh – People’s Choice and School Contest” Prize Distribution Ceremony along with a Tourism Education Expo on Saturday, February 21, 2026. The event will be held at the Institute’s campus in Sector 40, Uparwara, Nava Raipur, commencing at 9:30 a.m.

The ceremony will witness the felicitation of winning students and their faculty members from 9:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. The programme will also include a career guidance session, a quiz competition and a guided campus tour for participating students.

A Mini Tourism Education Expo will be organised simultaneously from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to create awareness among school students, teachers and parents about career opportunities in the hospitality and tourism sector. Tourism and hospitality stakeholders from Chhattisgarh are expected to participate in the Expo and provide comprehensive information on professional pathways, skill development avenues and emerging prospects in the sector. Students from schools in and around Raipur are expected to visit the exhibition.

The event is being organised to felicitate winners of the “Dekho Apna Desh – People’s Choice and School Contest”, a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Tourism aimed at promoting domestic tourism and encouraging citizens, particularly the youth, to explore India’s rich cultural, historical and natural heritage.

Launched in 2020, the Dekho Apna Desh initiative seeks to strengthen local economies, generate employment opportunities and foster a sense of national pride by highlighting both iconic and lesser-known destinations across the country. The campaign also promotes sustainable and responsible tourism practices.

In 2024, the Ministry of Tourism launched “Dekho Apna Desh – People’s Choice 2024”, inaugurated by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, on March 7, 2024, in Srinagar. The campaign was conducted in two phases comprising nationwide public voting and the Dekho Apna Desh School Contest.

The School Contest was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Education to encourage students of Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas to design handwritten tourism brochures for districts across India. Conducted from November 15 to December 15, 2024, the competition saw participation from nearly five lakh students across the country. Around 2,000 handwritten brochures were evaluated at the State, Union Territory and national levels by expert committees. Winners were selected based on aesthetic appeal, clarity and depth of information and creativity, with final selections made across five regions — Northern, Eastern, North Eastern, Southern and Western India.

Officials said the initiative has evolved into a nationwide movement that inspires citizens, particularly the younger generation, to reconnect with India’s heritage while contributing to economic growth and sustainable tourism development.

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RDJ/BT

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