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SALESIAN COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS) SONADA HOLDS KANCHENJUNGA TOURISM FESTIVAL 2026

Salesian College (Autonomous) Sonada holds Kanchenjunga Tourism Festival 2026

Sonada, 26 September, 2026 - The Kanchenjunga Tourism Festival (KTF) 2026 was organized on Saturday, the 26th of  September 2026 at Salesian College, Sonada, by the Association for Conservation & Tourism (ACT), in collaboration with the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). The programme was hosted by Salesian College (Autonomous), Sonada. The event brought together approximately 400 people including tourism professionals, experts, administrators, community representatives, home stay owners, Resort managers and college students to discuss different aspects of tourism and its future.

The programme began with the inaugural session at which the guests and dignitaries were given   a very warm welcome. The inaugural address by Fr.  Babu Joseph, the Principal of Salesian College, himself a PhD holder on tourism, set the tone  for the day.  A cultural dance presented by the students of Salesian College and a brief introduction to  KTF 2026 by Mr. Raj Basu, Convenor, ACT helped the audience to feel the pulse of the day. 

The first panel discussion titled “Adventure and Sports Tourism – Protect”  had Shri Bhaichung Bhutia, the legendary footballer, Shri Partho Saha and Shri Amit Periwal as the panelists and was moderated by Mr. Vivek Chettri, a senior journalist with The Telegraph. The discussion focused on adventure and sports tourism and the need to develop tourism in a responsible manner. The next   discussion titled “Rural, Cultural & Community-Led Climate-Resilient Tourism – Empower”  had Shri Smritiranjan Mohanty, IAS, Dr. Anu Lama, Ms. Laxmi Kaushal and Ms. Shraddha Chettri as panelists and was moderated by Sri Raj Basu, the convenor of ACT. The discussion focused on the importance of rural areas, local communities and culture in promoting sustainable and climate-resilient tourism.

In tune with the current technological scenario the third session was on “AI, Tourism beyond Sightseeing: Wellness & AI – Reimagine.”  The session featured Dr. Eklabya Sharma, holder of Padma Shree Award, along with panelists Dr. Bina Basnet, Dr. Mrinal Mukherjee and Dr. R.H. Lata. The discussion dealt with the growing role of artificial intelligence in tourism and the possibilities of combining tourism with wellness and new technology.

Students of Salesian College, Sonada, were present throughout the programme and took part in the event, while a few students and the teaching faculty from Degree College, Sonada, were also present for the discussions. The programme also included felicitations and the presentation of the M.K. Pradhan Memorial Award. The event concluded with the distribution of mementos and certificates, bearing  testimony to the commitment of Salesian College Sonada to the cultural and contemporary possibilities  for the people of the hills. 

Br. Lamkupar Nonglang SDB