Union Minister for Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju visited Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Thursday to personally extend his wishes and blessings to the first batch of Haj 2025 pilgrims departing for the sacred journey.
Addressing mediapersons at the airport, Rijiju said, “I am here at the airport to congratulate the Haj Yatris. Around 400 people will leave today. The management has been good.” He also noted the presence of the Deputy Chief of Mission from Saudi Arabia, reflecting the strong bilateral cooperation in facilitating the annual pilgrimage.
Earlier this week, the minister had expressed his heartfelt wishes to all 1,22,518 Indian pilgrims embarking on Haj this year. In a post on social media platform X, Rijiju wrote:
“As #Haj2025 begins, heartfelt wishes to all 1,22,518 pilgrims undertaking this sacred journey. The first flights took off today, 288 pilgrims from Lucknow & 262 pilgrims from Hyderabad. Under the leadership of Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji, the Government of India remains committed to ensuring a smooth & seamless Haj pilgrimage for all. Prayers for a safe, blessed & spiritually enriching pilgrimage.”
The Government of India has undertaken a massive logistical operation to manage the world's second-largest congregation of Muslim pilgrims outside the country. As part of the effort, on April 22, Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs George Kurian inaugurated a two-day orientation-cum-training programme for the 620 deputationists selected for Haj 2025 operations. These include 266 administrative and 354 medical personnel, chosen through a rigorous screening process to assist the Consulate General of India in Jeddah.
Kurian, in his keynote address, acknowledged the crucial role of Haj deputationists, stating that their “sincerity and commitment are essential for the successful conduct of Haj operations.”
The training covered topics such as health protocols, disaster and crowd management, and the operation of the Haj Suvidha App, which proved instrumental during Haj 2024. The app helped streamline communication and grievance redressal for pilgrims, and its functionality is being further strengthened this year.
