Heritage areas: South India’s top honchos savour New Amritsar experience

Tribune News service

Amritsar, November 29

A 45-member delegation comprising top honchos of the South Indian corporate world visited the city of Golden Temple over the weekend. The team, in the city on a tour from Young Presidents Organisation International, was keen to experience the makeover of heritage areas around the Harmandir Saheb. That change is happening in Amritsar and new places of tourist interest have been created is creating a buzz for enhanced-potential tourism in the city.

The top business leaders comprised those who are market leaders in five-star luxury hotels, power plants, food speciality front runners and other infrastructure organisations. They form a part of the Young Presidents Organisation International or as it is often referred to as YPO. The group, facilitated by Dilbir Foundation, was received at Golden Temple by Chief Secretary, SGPC, Sardar Harcharan Singh. He narrated the history of the pilgrimage centre, and the emotive heritage of the Sikhs. The members of the team also expressed interest in engaging the YPO members in several volunteer activities like the organic langar sewa and natural farming in the city. A guided trip to Ram Bagh, the Summer Retreat of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Panorama, Bhai Vir Singh Niwas Sthaan was also organised. The tour was a part of a spiritual exchange programme initiated by Dilbir Foudation to encourage tourism at heritage places in the city.

Speaking on the event Gunbir Singh, President Dilbir Foundation elucidated the traditions of Golden Temple and reformist yet universal aspects of the faith. He said that members of the group had promised to work with the foundation and SGPC to assist in modernising the langar operations in order to save fuel and human resource. He shared that they were delighted to hear about the renovations to Ram Tirath, the restoration of Gobindgarh Fort, War Memorial and the amphibious bus for Harike among other innovations.