President Droupadi Murmu will visit Vijayawada on 14 and 15 October 2026 to offer prayers at the Kanaka Durga temple and attend the National Saras Aajeevika Mela as chief guest, Hindustan Times and The Hindu reported.
Quick Facts
| Visit | Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 October 2026 |
| Temple | Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam, Indrakeeladri |
| Event | National Saras Aajeevika Mela, Punnami Ghat, 13 to 31 October |
| Mela stalls | More than 500 |
| Organisers | Union Ministry of Rural Development and the Andhra Pradesh government |
The Itinerary
Hindustan Times, citing the schedule, reported:
- **14 October:** leaves Delhi at 3.55 pm and reaches Gannavaram Airport at 6.25 pm; prays at Indrakeeladri between 7.20 and 7.40 pm; stays overnight in Vijayawada
- **15 October:** arrives at Punnami Ghat at 11.30 am for the mela (11.30 am to 1 pm); lunch with self-help group members and “Lakhpati Didis” from 1.10 to 2.10 pm; reaches Gannavaram at 2.45 pm for the flight back to Delhi
About the Mela
Saras Aajeevika Melas are flagship events of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission and give rural self-help groups and artisans a national platform. The Vijayawada mela will have stalls with handicrafts, handloom products and other goods made by self-help group women from across the country. A “Lakhpati Didi” is a self-help group member whose household earns at least ₹1 lakh a year, with average monthly income above ₹10,000 sustained over at least four agricultural or business cycles.
Preparations
Chief Secretary G. Sai Prasad reviewed arrangements in a virtual meeting and told departments to follow protocol and President’s Secretariat guidelines. On Sunday, Collector D.K. Balaji, Krishna district SP V. Vidyasagar Naidu and other officials reviewed security and protocol at Gannavaram airport and told departments to coordinate with the President’s security personnel.
Featured image: President Droupadi Murmu with Swami Rambhadracharya, May 2025 (file photo). Photo by the President’s Secretariat, licensed under Government Open Data License – India, via Wikimedia Commons.