‘International Kite and Sweet Festival’ kicks off at Hyderabad’s Parade Grounds

Hyderabad, Jan 13 (PTI) Telangana Ministers Jupally Krishna Rao and Ponnam Prabhakar inaugurated the three-day ‘International Kite and Sweet Festival’ at the Parade Grounds here on Tuesday.

Forty professional kite flyers from 19 countries and 55 from 15 Indian states are participating in the festival.

Organised by the Telangana Tourism Department, the three-day event will continue till January 15, showcasing traditional sports, culinary heritage, and cultural performances.

Visitors can also see massive, uniquely designed kites, with night kite-flying sessions emerging as a major attraction, organisers said.

Rao, in a press release, said festivals with centuries-old traditions are vital for preserving the state’s rich culture and passing it on to future generations.

“The participation of people from 25 states and several countries is a testament to our unity in diversity,” he added.

Highlighting the government’s vision, Rao said efforts were underway to promote large-scale kite manufacturing in Hyderabad to create employment opportunities for local youth by reducing dependence on imports.

He said the state government aims to boost revenue through tourism while generating livelihoods for artisans and the unemployed.

Rao also urged people to make travel a part of their lifestyle and extended Sankranti greetings.

After the inauguration, the ministers visited stalls showcasing a wide variety of traditional delicacies from different states.

Telangana Tourism Development Corporation Chairman Patel Ramesh Reddy, TGTDC Managing Director Kranti Valluri, Director of Language and Culture Narsimha Reddy, and Heritage Director Arjun Rao were among those present, the release added. PTI VVK SSK