11-day garden fest at Rashtrapati Nilayam draws 1.3 lakh visitors

Hyderabad flower festival at Rashtrapati Nilayam featured botanical diversity, eco-friendly solutions, workshops, and cultural performances.

The recently concluded 11-day flower and horticulture festival, held at Rashtrapati Nilayam in Bolarum, Hyderabad witnessed a turnout of 1.3 lakh visitors, according to officials from the Rashtrapati Nilayam. The festival, which was held from from January 2 to January 13, showcased an array of flowers, plants, and ornamental trees, underscoring India’s botanical diversity.

Organised in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management-Hyderabad, and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the festival aimed to foster an appreciation for nature while promoting environmental conservation and sustainability through active public engagement.

The event featured 50 stalls set up by the Department of Horticulture, highlighting various innovative and eco-friendly solutions. Among the standout exhibits were Newkind, a startup producing reusable sanitary napkins that can be reused up to 100 times, and Renote AI, which showcased a smart AI-powered notebook designed for sustainability. The notebook, equipped with a dedicated pen and a wet cloth for erasing written content after scanning and saving it via a mobile application.

Over the course of the festival, many prominent personalities, including Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, officers from the Indian Army’s Telangana and Andhra Sub Area (TASA), and several Union ministers, graced the event. Hundreds of schoolchildren from Hyderabad and Secunderabad also attended, adding youthful enthusiasm to the vibrant atmosphere.

The workshop zone formed a key highlight of the festival, offering insights into advanced technologies in flower cultivation, production techniques, pest and disease management, and schemes related to floriculture. Expert talks by farmers and Telangana horticulture department officials shed light on initiatives such as the National Horticulture Mission and urban farming. These sessions aimed to equip participants with knowledge and tools to advance sustainable horticultural practices.

Cultural performances during the evening enriched the festival experience, showcasing India’s diverse traditions and cultural energy.