Odisha’s Maritime Legacy Showcased at UK Parliament as Bali Jatra UK 2025 Unites Global South

Odisha’s iconic maritime festival, Bali Jatra, sailed onto the global stage with a historic celebration inside the House of Lords as part of the Global South Maritime Heritage Summit 2025. The two-day event, organised by the Odisha Society of the United Kingdom (OSUK) CIC and powered by XpertNest, marked the first time the festival’s legacy was honoured within the UK Parliament.

The summit, designed to strengthen India–UK relations, spotlighted maritime heritage, innovation, sustainability, and circular economy models. Led by Capt. Arun Kar, Dr. Bibhuti Bhusan Pattnayak FRSA, Partha Sarathi Panda, and Sweta Mohanty, the event brought together 115 distinguished guests from across continents.

Prominent attendees included Lord Rami Ranger, Lord Roger Evans, UK MP Louie French, and senior academics such as Prof. Seyed Kamiar Mohaddes Ardebili of Cambridge Judge Business School and Prof. Ajit Vijaykumar Jaokar, Director of AI at Oxford University. Former MPs, councillors from both Labour and Conservative parties, and members of the London Assembly also participated.

The international presence was notable, with delegates representing Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Nigeria, Spain, the USA, China, Italy and the UK. Representatives from Labour Friends of Southeast Asia and the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Indonesia also attended, symbolising broad diplomatic and cultural engagement.

The summit blended cultural heritage with forward-looking themes such as maritime innovation, blue economy potential, and global south solidarity — positioning Bali Jatra UK 2025 as a unique bridge between tradition and modern policymaking.