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Chinese Buddhist delegation to visit Varanasi and Nalanda
31-member group will visit Buddhist heritage sites across India.
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Ankita Baidya - Tue, 30, Jun 2026
- 04:40 EDT
- 22
Indian Consul General Pratik Mathur sees off a delegation of Buddhist pilgrims and students from eastern China embarking on a pilgrimage to India. / X/@IndiaInShanghai
A 31-member delegation of Buddhist pilgrims and students from eastern China has begun a pilgrimage to Buddhist heritage sites in India, according to the Consulate General of India in Shanghai.
Indian Consul General Pratik Mathur saw off the first batch of delegates, who will visit Varanasi, Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, and Nalanda as part of the pilgrimage. The delegation is led by Chief Abbott Shi Zhongshan of the historic CIYUN Monastery in Yangzhou.
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According to the Consulate, Mathur met the delegation before its departure and encouraged members to witness the redevelopment and restoration of Nalanda, one of Buddhism's most significant centres of learning. He highlighted the Xuanzang Memorial Hall and the new Nalanda University campus as symbols of the centuries-old Buddhist, academic, and people-to-people links between India and China.
The Consulate also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on the Nalanda University project during a recent edition of Mann Ki Baat, noting the government's efforts to revive the historic institution as a global centre for learning.
An ever strong and resilient Buddhism Connect to #IncredibleIndia ️️
— India In Shanghai (@IndiaInShanghai) June 29, 2026
Growing religious #tourism from #YangtseRiverDelta to #Nalanda
佛子-从长三角到那烂陀-信佛的人像恒河沙数
Consul General Shri Pratik Mathur was happy to see off the first tranche of a thirty one… pic.twitter.com/QGSLhNVdSr
The pilgrimage reflects continuing cultural and religious exchanges between India and China despite broader geopolitical tensions. Buddhist sites in India, particularly Bodh Gaya, where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment, continue to attract pilgrims from across Asia, including China.
Mathur, a 2007-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, assumed charge as Consul General in Shanghai in January 2025. Before taking up the assignment, he served as Minister (Political) at India's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York from 2020 to 2024, representing India at the UN Security Council during its 2021-22 tenure. He has also served as Deputy Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office and held diplomatic postings in Washington and Beijing, where he was Director of the Indian Cultural Centre.
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