Speaker Birla opens ‘One India, One World’ festival at LPU
In a vivid celebration of cultural harmony and youth empowerment, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurated Lovely Professional University’s flagship annual festival, ‘One India, One World’, on Tuesday at the university’s sprawling Phagwara campus.
The three-day festival, under the theme “Rang De Bharat – Celebrating Patriotism through Art and Culture”, brought together more than 40,000 students and visitors from across India and over 50 countries, transforming the campus into a global village of heritage, art and expression.
The event opened with a dynamic flag-off ceremony led by students, symbolising the spirit of unity across states and global cultures. A spectacular parade followed, showcasing tableaux and cultural performances representing the traditions and heritage of all 28 states, eight UTs and 31 foreign nations. This vibrant display set the tone for what was a richly immersive celebration of diversity and global friendship.
Welcoming the Speaker, Dr Ashok Kumar Mittal, MP (Rajya Sabha) and founder Chancellor of LPU, emphasised the university’s dedication to the ideal of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ — the world is one family.
At this ceremony, scholarships were awarded to 124 meritorious students to help them pursue higher education at IITs, IIMs, AIIMS and NLUs. Dr Mittal highlighted that in the past five years alone, the university has disbursed over ₹7 crore to support more than 600 students across the country.
In his address to the gathering, Om Birla praised LPU’s role as a model of modern Indian education rooted in traditional values. “India’s future is in the hands of the youth and I see that future shining here today,” he said.
“LPU is not just an institution of learning — it is a laboratory of unity, innovation and culture. With over 40,000 students from across the country and the world, the university is playing a pivotal role in shaping a globally competent and culturally grounded generation.”
Adding to the festival’s prestige was the presence of several distinguished international dignitaries, including Peter Hobwani, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Zimbabwe; Jean Asantewaah Oduro and Conrad Nana Kojo Asiedu from the Ghana High Commission; Ganbold Dambajav, Ambassador of Mongolia to India; Ntsukunyane Daniel Tsenoli from the Kingdom of Lesotho; and Dr. Amandeep Grewal, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Deputy High Commission, Chandigarh. Their participation reinforced the festival’s global vision and the university’s growing international reputation.
Indian dignitaries also graced the occasion, including Ramesh Kumar Mittal, Chairman of Lovely Group; Naresh Mittal, Vice-Chairman; HR Singla, Director General of LPU; Col Dr Rashmi Mittal, Pro-Chancellor; and Dr Jaspal Singh Sandhu, Vice-Chancellor of LPU. Each expressed pride in the event and the university’s students, who organized and executed every element of the festival through LPU’s EduRevolution initiative — an experiential learning platform that places students at the center of innovation and leadership.
The festival also featured the One World Dance Concert and Jhoomo Re – One India Dance Concert, where students performed over 30 traditional and contemporary dance forms.
Jalandhar