Mumbai, 09 October (H.S.):

Mumbai will host the World Hindu Congress (WHC), a major global gathering of Hindu leaders and representatives, from December 18 to 20. The three-day conference will be held at the Jio World Convention Centre in the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat scheduled to address the inaugural session. According to the organisers, more than 4,000 delegates from over 60 countries are expected to participate in the event.

The conference will bring together Hindu leaders, thinkers, entrepreneurs, academics, media representatives, professionals and prominent personalities from diverse fields on a common platform. More than 45 sessions will be held over the three days, featuring over 150 speakers who will deliberate on a wide range of subjects, including the economy, education, media, politics, women's empowerment, youth affairs and Hindu organisations.

The theme of World Hindu Congress 2026 is “Samanam Vratam Saha Chittam” — “Shared Commitment, Collective Resolve”. The conference aims to promote dialogue, cooperation and coordination among Hindu organisations, institutions and individuals across the world.

Swami Vigyananand, the initiator of the World Hindu Congress, said that the visibility and standing of Hindu society had increased globally, but this was no time for complacency. He noted that the WHC provides a strategic and organised platform to strengthen Hindu participation in influential sectors such as the economy, education, academia, media and politics. Its objective is to bring together diverse organisations and individuals around a shared commitment and collective resolve.

This year's WHC will feature four special plenary sessions focusing on Bhasha (language), Samaj (society), Vishwakarma and Dharma.

The Dharma Plenary will bring together spiritual representatives from various religious and philosophical traditions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism and Shinto. Discussions will focus on the diversity of dharmic traditions, their contemporary relevance and the scope for dialogue among different philosophical perspectives.

The Samaj Plenary will examine social harmony, community development and the challenges confronting Hindu society. Representatives of different communities, traditions and social institutions will participate in the deliberations.

The Bhasha Plenary will highlight the linguistic diversity of Hindu society and the role of different languages in preserving literature, civilisational knowledge and cultural identity.

The Vishwakarma Plenary will explore skill development, entrepreneurship, innovation and the contributions of artisans, craftspeople and professionals to economic and social progress. It will also deliberate on ways to enhance the dignity of skilled work and create new opportunities for young people.

For the first time, a World Hindu Expo will be organised alongside the World Hindu Congress this year. Swami Vigyananand said the expo aims to promote trade and commerce while creating new opportunities for prosperity and economic growth within Hindu society.

According to the organisers, several prominent personalities from government, industry, technology, media and the cultural sector have confirmed their participation. Those expected to attend include Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.

Other prominent participants include writer and director Vishal Chaturvedi; lyricist and screenwriter Manoj Muntashir; National Stock Exchange Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Ashishkumar Chauhan; Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner and Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Managing Director Ashwini Bhide; Central Electricity Authority Chairperson Ghanshyam Prasad; and NITI Aayog Member Professor Abhay Karandikar.

Representatives from the business and economic sectors are also expected to participate. These include Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council; Sanjay Chakravorti of L&T Precision Engineering and Systems; Srinath Ravichandran, co-founder and CEO of Agnikul Cosmos; Sumant Sinha, founder and CEO of ReNew; Dr Vivek Raghavan, co-founder of Sarvam AI; Shashwat Goenka, Vice Chairman of the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group; R. K. Mishra, co-founder of Yulu Bikes; and Ajay Kumar Srivastava, Managing Director and CEO of Indian Overseas Bank.

The organisers said the names of additional prominent participants would be announced in due course.

The World Hindu Congress is organised once every four years. Previous editions were held in New Delhi in 2014, Chicago in 2018 and Bangkok in 2023. According to the organisers, the forum brings together Hindu leaders, thinkers, activists and institutions from different countries to discuss shared concerns and explore opportunities for collaboration.

Ajay Piramal is the chairman of the organising committee for the Mumbai edition, while Vishad Mafatlal and Mahesh Bhagchandka are serving as vice-chairmen.

The organisers expect the conference to strengthen dialogue and cooperation within the global Hindu community and play a significant role in shaping future initiatives across social, economic and cultural spheres.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar