Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was elected to the Lok Sabha from Rajasthan’s Jodhpur after he defeated Vaibhav Gehlot, the son of former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, by a margin of 2.74 lakh votes in the 2019 general election.

He served as the general secretary of Seema Jan Kalyan Samiti, an organization dedicated to strengthening national security by developing border towns and villages. He was instrumental in building a second line of defence that consisted of civilians residing near the border area of Rajasthan, by setting up 40 schools and four hostels in the region.

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Shekhawat is also credited with launching the first coal gallery at the National Science Centre last year. He talked to Surya S Pillai of The Statesman on the sidelines of the Vedaaranya Heritage and Healing (VHAH) Festival 2025 about the changing dynamics of the country’s tourism sector, the Maha Kumbh, and importance of heritage preservation.

Q. According to the latest data, the tourism sector contributes a mere 5.6 per cent to India’s GDP. As the Minister of Tourism, where do you think we are lacking in exhibiting our true potential in front of the world?

A. India holds maximum potential in the tourism industry because no other country, except the United States, has this kind of variety to offer in terms of the topography and other factors. In other words, India has mountains, rivers, forests, deserts, palaces, forts, historical and culinary heritage, among others – everything a person can desire for! Although I admit we have our shortcomings as well. For instance, tourism being a state subject restricts the Union government in setting the narrative many times. Having said that, we have tied up with many state governments in discovering and building up hidden tourism gems across the country.

Q. You attended Shruti Foundation’s VHAH Fest recently which talked about heritage preservation. Can you talk about your experience at Ramgarh Shekhawati?

A. I attended the event for the first time though VHAH Fest was in its ninth year this time. I feel people of Ramgarh Shekhawati in Sikar district of Rajasthan do not understand the goldmine on which they are sitting. They want to transform their old havelis into modern pucca houses because they are unable to monetize their history. If you look at my constituency, Jodhpur, residents are reaping benefits of preserving art because they have been able to put in place a commercially viable system. I believe no tourism destination can be made only by building infrastructure. For it to be a hit, people’s orientation is a must. Rich tourist spots, especially the heritage ones, are built by community engagements. So the VHAH Fest is taking steps in the right direction in bringing back the focus on heritage conservation as well as the commercial aspect.

Q. How has the tourism dynamics changed, especially after the coronavirus pandemic?

A. The tourism scene is changing rapidly and it is high time we step up. Tourism no longer revolves around monuments. People now also prefer experiential tourism. The Centre has teamed up with many states/Union territories to create 50 iconic destinations for both our domestic and international tourists. We are also working on expanding our digital presence. We are planning many virtual tours of museums across the country so that art enthusiasts can see the ‘trailer before the actual movie’. Talking about social media, we completely understand that the youth rush to the internet more than newspapers and television to know about places to visit, what to eat or how to reach there. Besides, India is also emerging as the spiritual capital of the world. People from across the globe are coming here to ‘heal’ and rejuvenate. They are heaping praise on Ayurveda and Yoga. Sanskrit language is being taught in most of the top universities of the world.

Q. The Maha Kumbh this year has shattered all records in terms of the footfall and publicity. How do you look at it and also the negative publicity it garnered following the ‘stampede-like’ incident?

A. More than 50 crore people visited the Kumbh this year. ‘No-vehicle’ movement was imposed to manage the crowd. People from all walks of life, including big names from multiple sectors, converged at the site to take a dip in the Sangam waters. I must commend the Yogi Adityanathled Uttar Pradesh government for managing the show. In fact, the Maha Kumbh has infused Rs 3 lakh crore into the state’s economy. This was also the first Kumbh after social media penetration. The government had sent personal invites to YouTubers, social media influencers, and others to visit the site. I must also mention that the average age of Kumbh visitors this time was less than 30 years. So it was not just a religious congregation, but also a space visited by Gen Z. At Kumbh, we had set up a pandal with a sitting capacity of 15,000 people, where artists performed from 10 in the morning till 10 in the night. We also set up temporary schools where around 6,000 children of women workers at Kumbh studied. In a first-of-its-kind initiative, culture centres were set up where Kumbh’s 3,000-year old history was depicted. Regarding the unfortunate incident at Kumbh, some elements tried to twist the narrative but they failed, and it was back to business the other day there.