Uncovering Bhubaneswar’s Treasures: IndiGoReach and InterGlobe Foundation organize a heritage walk under ‘My City My Heritage’ campaign

IndiGoReach, the CSR arm of IndiGo and InterGlobe
Foundation (IGF), the philanthropic arm of InterGlobe Enterprises, organised their second
heritage walk on February 26, 2023 at Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The walk is part of the ‘My City
My Heritage’ campaign, which aims to raise awareness about the value and importance of
heritage and culture in India and sets the tone for conversations and partnerships around the
preservation of both tangible and intangible heritage. The ‘My City My Heritage’ campaign was
commenced in November 2022 with a panel discussion event in Delhi, followed bythe first
heritage walk atPrayagraj in December 2022.
The second walk conducted in the temple town of Bhubaneswar was led by Dr. Kavita Gupta
and curated by Culture, a venture that fosters heritage appreciation. The walk explored historic
landmarks like Parsurameswara Temple, Mukteswara Temple, Sampurna jaleswar Temple,
BinduSagar, Ananta Vasudeva Temple, Sukasari Temple and Baitala Temple concluded at
Vaital Deula.
Speaking at the occasion, Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo said, “Uncovering the
rich heritage of Bhubaneswar, through our second ‘My City My Heritage’ walk was a journey
across time and tradition. From grand monuments to historic architecture, Bhubaneswar is a
treasure trove of stories and legends, waiting to be explored. At IndiGo, we believe in preserving
these architectural wonders for future generations to cherish. In fact, we will probably soon be
connecting Bhubaneswar, one of our 78 domestic destinations, to international destinations
bringing inbound tourists to explore these architectural marvels. We will continue to demonstrate
our commitment to being responsible and contributing back to the community we serve, while
enhancing the accessibility through our unparalleled network, connecting people and places.”
Rohini Bhatia, Chairperson, InterGlobe Foundation, said: “InterGlobe Foundation is proud to be
part of the ‘My City My Heritage’ campaign. Bhubaneswar is known for its rich history, intricate
architecture, diverse art forms, temples, and historical landmarks. We are extremely excited to
explore and showcase this city through our campaign. The Foundation has always encouraged
people to preserve our built cultural heritage, which represents our history and roots, and this
campaign will further help raise awareness and promote cultural preservation. InterGlobe
Foundation remains committed to providing sustainable livelihoods, conserving the
environment, and preserving our nation’s heritage and culture for future generations.”
The ‘My City My Heritage’ campaign draws on material previously developed by InterGlobe
Foundation in partnership with Sahapedia as part of a project to explore, document, and spread
the diverse heritage and cultural aspects of ten Indian cities : Prayagraj, Indore, Nashik,
Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Goa, Kolkata, and Shillong. More than two
hundred cultural points of interest were identified as part of this project, and the material
developed, including cultural mapping articles, self-guided trails, listicles, museum mapping,
cultural calendars, photography, etc., has been captured in the form of city booklets, which are
now available to the public in both print and digital formats.

Both, InterGlobe Foundation and IndiGoReach have individually taken forward various projects
for promoting heritage conservation and preservation in India. Some of the major projects of
InterGlobe Foundation include, the conservation and cultural revival of Abdur Rahim Khan-I-
Khanan’s mausoleum in Delhi, the cultural mapping and documentation of ten cities, and the
restoration of the stepwell “IndraKund” in Delwara, Rajasthan. Recently, InterGlobe Foundation
also launched the InterGlobe HERITAGE Fellowships to engage a cross-section of the public in
documenting and researching the cultural heritage of India and help increase its awareness.
IndiGoReach also undertook projects for the conservation of Muhammed Qutb Shah’s
Mausoleum at the QutbShahi Heritage Park in Hyderabad and the restoration of the interiors of
the Lal Bagh Palace in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.