Shri Giresh Vasudev Kulkarni, Founder of Temple Connect & International Temple Convention & EXPO (ITCX), introduced a six-fold strategic vision—the CHESS-G Doctrine — at the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference 2026, positioning it as a future-ready framework to strengthen India’s temple ecosystem and reimagine spiritual tourism.
Kulkarni addressed the featured conference on “Unravelling Gujarat’s Treasure: A Journey Through Spirituality, Heritage, Archaeology, and the Sea”, held on January 12, 2026, at Marwadi University, Rajkot, where Gujarat’s spiritual legacy, cultural heritage, archaeological depth, and coastal potential were discussed in the context of sustainable tourism and regional economic growth.
The Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference 2026 for the Saurashtra and Kutch region was inaugurated by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on January 11, 2026. Conceptualised in 2003 under his leadership, the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit has grown into a platform for business networking, policy dialogue and strategic partnerships.
A key highlight of the event was the panel discussion on “Holistic Path of Spiritual Tourism,” where Kulkarni introduced the CHESS-G Doctrine — built on six pillars: Convenience, Hygiene, Experience, Sustainability, Safety, and Economic Growth. The framework aims to modernise temple towns while preserving the sanctity of sacred spaces through community-led participation, with an emphasis on moving from footfall-driven management to an experience-led and sustainable model.
The doctrine places strong focus on pilgrim convenience, calling for improved infrastructure, smoother mobility, and better digital support systems to create a stress-free and enriching journey. It also reframes hygiene as an essential part of the spiritual experience, advocating high standards in sanitation, food safety, clean water, and improved public health across temple towns.
Highlighting experience as central to spiritual tourism, the doctrine prioritises dignified darshans, immersive spiritual engagement, cultural storytelling, and devotee-centric journeys. Safety focuses on disciplined crowd management, disaster preparedness, medical readiness, and special attention to women, senior citizens and first-time pilgrims. Sustainability underlines environment-conscious development, including waste and water management, green temple practices, and protection of heritage structures. The sixth pillar, economic growth, emphasises inclusion and local livelihoods for communities, artisans, vendors, MSMEs, and temple custodians.
Shri Giresh Vasudev Kulkarni, Founder Temple Connect, ITCX quoted, “I feel truly grateful to be part of a platform that has initiated meaningful dialogue—one that goes beyond being a convention and is evolving into a growing movement to reimagine how India approaches spiritual tourism. According to reports, in 2023-24 alone, the State of Gujarat welcomed 18.59 crore tourists, with nearly 72% visiting temple towns like Dwarka, Somnath, and Ambaji. These figures reflect trust and faith, but footfall alone cannot be the final measure of success. Counting visitors tells us how many people arrived, not how deeply they were impacted. Spiritual tourism must move beyond crowd management. For a truly transformative experience for pilgrims, it is our responsibility to build sacred ecosystems where faith, heritage, livelihoods, and sustainability grow together.”
The session opened with felicitation of dignitaries and a welcome address by Gujarat Tourism, setting the context for the state’s growing focus on spiritual, heritage, and cultural tourism. Special remarks were delivered by Shri Kesridevsinh Jhala, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, and Dr. Jayram Gamit, Minister of State for Tourism, Government of Gujarat.
Kulkarni was part of the session alongside dignitaries including Yuvraj Shri Ranjit Sinh Parmar, Vice Chairman, Heritage Tourism Association (HTA); Shri Sachin Kumar Vaishya (IAS), Chief Executive Officer, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB); Shri Gaurav Jha, Group General Manager, IRCTC West Zone Tourism (Pilgrimage Special Trains); and Shri Nitin Thakur, Group President Strategic Initiatives and President Corporate Affairs, Prism.
The Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference 2026 reinforced Gujarat’s vision of integrating spirituality, culture, heritage, and economic progress. Kulkarni’s address aligned with this direction, highlighting that temple towns are not only places of worship but also cultural anchors and economic engines. The framework, he said, calls upon policymakers, temple trusts, urban planners, investors, and ecosystem partners to build sacred cities that work in a way that is spiritually meaningful, socially inclusive, and economically sustainable.
