Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, led the flagging-off ceremony for the initial group of pilgrims embarking on the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 2026 at Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan in New Delhi. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that the pilgrims were congratulated on their selection and assured accommodation at newly inaugurated acclimatisation centers by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Various government bodies from Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Uttar Pradesh were recognized for their continuous efforts to enhance the pilgrimage experience for citizens.
Indian Ambassador to China, Vikram Doraiswami, recently visited Lhasa, Tibet, to assess the arrangements made by local authorities for Indian pilgrims participating in the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. The Embassy of India in Beijing reported that Ambassador Doraiswami and his team inspected the preparations during their initial visit to the Tibet Autonomous Region.
In a previous event, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar oversaw the computerized selection process for yatris participating in the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 2026. The upcoming yatra, scheduled from June to August, will host 1,000 yatris selected through a fair and gender-balanced computer-generated process. These pilgrims will travel in 20 groups of 50 individuals each through the motorable Lipulekh and Nathu La passes, requiring minimal trekking.
The entire Kailash Mansarovar Yatra process, managed jointly by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Chinese government, is fully automated, from application submission to yatri selection.
