Indian Orchid Festival 2026 Organised at ICAR–NRC for Orchids, Pakyong, Sikkim

7–10 March 2026, Sikkim

The Indian Orchid Festival 2026, organised under the theme “Orchids for Beauty and Prosperity,” was organised from 7–10 March 2026 at the ICAR–National Research Centre for Orchids, Pakyong, Sikkim.

A key highlight of the festival was the Orchid Show-cum-Competition, which showcased the rich diversity of orchids with participation from growers, commercial nurseries, institutions, and hobbyists from across the country. Various orchid species and hybrids were displayed and evaluated by experts, with awards presented in categories such as orchid species, Cymbidium hybrids, orchid photography, and ornamental plant displays including bonsai, succulents, and cacti.

The inaugural programme was presided over by Shri Raju Basnet, Minister for Education, Sports & Youth Affairs, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department, Government of Sikkim, while Dr Sanjay Kumar, Chairperson, Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB), attended as the Chief Guest. The event was also graced by Shri Sudesh Kumar Subba, MLA-cum-Advisor to the Tourism and Civil Aviation Department, along with dignitaries, officials, and progressive farmers.

In his address, Shri Raju Basnet highlighted the importance of floriculture in generating livelihood opportunities and emphasised strengthening market linkages for growers. Dr Sanjay Kumar shared successful international models of orchid development and commercialisation that could be adapted in India and stressed the importance of integrating scientific research with business models to strengthen the orchid industry. Shri Sudesh Kumar Subba highlighted the rich orchid diversity of the region and encouraged youth to explore entrepreneurship opportunities in floriculture and tourism.

The second day featured technical sessions focusing on orchid cultivation, entrepreneurship, government support schemes, and modern production technologies. Experts from organisations including the Bio-Resources Development Centre (Government of Meghalaya), National Horticulture Board, and the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), along with representatives from the floriculture industry, shared insights on orchid potential, women bio-entrepreneurship, Cymbidium hybrid development, Phalaenopsis cultivation, and precision soilless farming.

On the third day, a special session on academia–industry–stakeholder collaboration was organised. The session was graced by Dr Himanshu Pathak, Director General, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and former Secretary (DARE) & Director General, ICAR, as the Chief Guest. The programme was chaired by Mr Jigmee Dorjee Bhutia, IAS, Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Agriculture & Horticulture), Government of Sikkim. Dr S. Anbalagan, IFS, Secretary, Agriculture Department, Government of Sikkim, attended as the Guest of Honour, while Dr S. P. Das, Director, ICAR–NRCO, served as the Co-Chairman. Mr T. T. Bhutia, Principal Director-cum-Secretary, Horticulture, Government of Sikkim, was present as the Special Guest.

In his address, Dr Himanshu Pathak highlighted the transformation of orchids from ornamental plants to a viable business opportunity and emphasised the role of science and technology in advancing the floriculture sector.

The festival also featured inter-school and inter-college competitions, with participation of over 300 students from 15 schools and five colleges, promoting awareness about orchids, floriculture, and biodiversity among youth.

According to Dr S. P. Das, Director, ICAR–NRCO, the festival witnessed participation from more than 200 exhibitors, including institutions, companies, and nurseries. The event included orchid displays, competitions, workshops, training programmes, buyers–sellers meets, and cultural performances.

As part of the outreach initiative, planting materials were distributed to more than 570 farmers under the NEH component of ICAR institutes. High-quality tissue-cultured Cymbidium orchid planting materials were provided by ICAR–Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Ranchi; ICAR–Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack; ICAR–Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Karnal; and ICAR–Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur to promote orchid cultivation and strengthen floriculture-based livelihoods in the region. Additionally, vegetable seed kits and fruit crop planting materials were distributed by the ICAR–Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru.

During the festival, 13 new orchid hybrids developed by ICAR–NRCO were ceremonially released by Dr Sanjay Kumar and Dr Himanshu Pathak. In addition, eight technical bulletins in the local language on different orchid genera were released to enhance the accessibility of scientific knowledge for local growers. An epoxy-coated tabletop embedded with real orchids, developed as a value-added orchid product, was also unveiled during the programme.

The closing ceremony was graced by Shri Puran Gurung, Minister for Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services and Fisheries Department, Government of Sikkim, who highlighted the state’s favourable climatic conditions and organic farming status, which offer significant opportunities for expanding orchid cultivation and floriculture development in the region.

The four-day event brought together scientists, orchid growers, farmers, entrepreneurs, students, policymakers, and industry representatives to promote orchid diversity, strengthen research–industry linkages, and explore commercial opportunities in the floriculture sector.

(Source: ICAR–National Research Centre for Orchids, Pakyong, Sikkim)