Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has formally entered India’s rapidly growing Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector with the launch of the Urja Bharat Convention Centre (UBCC) at its 250-acre Advanced Training Institute (ATI) campus in Canaguinim, Goa.
The unveiling took place during the inaugural edition of Urjatva, a two-day industry engagement programme that brought together leaders from the convention, exhibition, tourism, hospitality and experiential events sectors to explore Goa’s future as a global business events destination.
More than a venue launch, Urjatva served as an industry familiarisation and consultation platform featuring campus tours, networking sessions, panel discussions and an interactive feedback session aimed at shaping the convention centre’s long-term roadmap.
During the event, ONGC also unveiled the Urja Bharat Convention Centre brand identity. Inspired by shades of yellow and orange, the logo symbolises energy, optimism and progress while drawing inspiration from Goa’s iconic laterite stone architecture, reflecting ONGC’s vision of a sustainable, innovative and distinctly Indian convention destination.
The launch was attended by representatives from Goa Tourism, the India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB), the Indian Exhibition Industry Association (IEIA), international convention bodies, event organisers, exhibition companies, hospitality brands and venue operators, highlighting the importance of public-private collaboration in strengthening India’s convention infrastructure.
Integrated Convention Ecosystem
Developed within ONGC’s 250-acre Advanced Training Institute campus in a record 13 months, the Urja Bharat Convention Centre has been envisioned as a fully integrated ecosystem capable of hosting conferences, exhibitions, corporate conventions, government summits, trade fairs, destination weddings, cultural programmes, live entertainment and executive learning programmes.
Addressing the gathering, Saket Gupta, Executive Director, ONGC and Chief of ATI Goa, said Urjatva was conceived as a collaborative platform that would enable industry experts to experience the venue firsthand while contributing to its future development.
“We have organised Urjatva as a platform where MICE industry experts and leaders can experience the venue firsthand and share their inputs on how we can take this venue to the level it truly deserves. Together, Prithvi, Vayu and Akash create a comprehensive MICE ecosystem capable of hosting events of varying scales and formats,” Gupta said.
The convention campus comprises three flagship facilities:
- Prithvi Grand Convention Centre, with seating for nearly 4,000 delegates, featuring a 30-metre Direct View LED videowall, concert-grade line array sound system, AV-over-IP architecture, PTZ broadcast cameras and simultaneous interpretation facilities in up to eight languages.
- Vayu Exhibition Hall, offering approximately 7,200 square metres of pillar-less, air-conditioned exhibition space for trade fairs and expos.
- Akash Management Development Facility, equipped with premium boardrooms, a CEO Room and Bilateral Meeting Room featuring Samsung Micro LED displays, hybrid conferencing facilities, wireless presentation technology, digital nameplates and multilingual interpretation.
The campus also includes Sagar Setu, a waterfront venue designed for destination weddings, gala dinners, networking evenings and experiential events. Additional infrastructure includes executive accommodation, smart building management systems, integrated surveillance, high-speed connectivity, and advanced event technology.
A key differentiator of the campus is its sustainability focus. ATI Goa houses one of India’s largest behind-the-meter microgrid systems, featuring a 10 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), rooftop and ground-mounted solar installations, and a vertical-axis wind generator, with the long-term goal of powering events primarily through clean energy.
Two-Day Industry Engagement
The first day of Urjatva featured ATI Goa’s vision presentation, the “Essence of Goa” exhibition showcasing the state’s culture and tourism, a guided campus tour, the unveiling of the UBCC brand identity, and a gala networking evening.
The second day focused on knowledge sharing through two high-level panel discussions organised with ICPB and IEIA, followed by an interactive feedback session where delegates shared recommendations on the venue’s future positioning and operations.
Experts Discuss Goa’s Convention Potential
The first panel discussion, titled “Destination Goa – Positioning Goa as India’s Premier Conference & Convention Destination,” was organised by the India Convention Promotion Bureau in association with Goa Tourism.
Moderated by Neeraj Dhawan, Treasurer, India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB), and Executive Director, Falcon Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd., the session featured Amaresh Tiwari, CEO, Meetings & Incentives World; Vikas Sood, General Manager, The Leela Gandhinagar, Dharmendra Kumar, CEO, Geanis World & MICE; MQ Syed, Chairman & MD, Exhicon Events Media Solutions Ltd.; and Deepak Narvekar, Deputy General Manager, Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC).
The discussion examined Goa’s ability to combine business with leisure and highlighted the need for a professionally managed convention bureau, stronger destination marketing, convention bidding initiatives, improved connectivity, streamlined approvals, enhanced delegate experiences and attracting major intellectual properties (IPs) to the state.
Goa Tourism also highlighted the state’s growing experience in hosting global events, including G20 meetings, the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), defence events and Ironman competitions.
The second panel discussion, “Experiential Events & MICE Innovation,” organised by the Indian Exhibition Industry Association (IEIA), explored the future of exhibitions and business events.
The session was moderated by Ubaid Ahmad, Vice President, Indian Exhibition Industry Association (IEIA), and Senior Director, Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), IMTMA.
Panelists included Pallavi Mehra, Executive Member, Indian Exhibition Industry Association (IEIA), and Senior Group Director, Informa Markets India Pvt. Ltd.; Fazal A. Faruqui, Director – Operations & Production, Angus Montgomery Art India Pvt. Ltd.; Dharampal Singh Malhotra, Executive Member, Indian Exhibition Industry Association (IEIA), and Executive Director, Namdhari Events N Promotions Pvt. Ltd.; and Sandip Das, Deputy Director General, Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI).
Discussions focused on logistics, strengthening local vendor ecosystems, AI-enabled event technologies, sustainability, workforce development, ease of doing business, single-window clearances and phased infrastructure development to maximise the venue’s potential.
Industry Response
Shyam Chhabria, Founder and CEO, Alterra Collective, congratulated ONGC on delivering the integrated convention destination within a short timeframe, describing it as a long-awaited addition to Goa’s infrastructure.
He noted that Prithvi, Vayu, Akash and Sagar Setu together create a versatile ecosystem capable of hosting conferences, exhibitions, destination weddings, private celebrations and experiential events. He also highlighted the venue’s potential beyond MICE, saying it is equally suited for concerts, theatre productions and large-format live entertainment.
From an international perspective, Anju Gomes, Regional Director – Middle East, ICCA, praised the integrated planning and proximity between hotels and the convention campus. She emphasised that sustainability is increasingly influencing venue selection and encouraged ONGC to further strengthen renewable energy adoption, local sourcing and environmentally responsible operations.
Collaborative Roadmap
The programme concluded with an interactive feedback session during which delegates recommended improving last-mile connectivity, simplifying operational processes, creating a dedicated destination marketing strategy, strengthening local vendor capabilities, partnering with industry associations and developing specialised convention and exhibition management training programmes.
Strategic Diversification
The launch of the Urja Bharat Convention Centre marks ONGC’s strategic diversification into India’s expanding MICE sector while adding a significant new asset to Goa’s convention infrastructure.
With world-class venues, integrated accommodation, waterfront experiences, sustainability-led infrastructure and advanced technology, the campus has been designed to host international conventions, exhibitions, government summits, destination weddings, cultural programmes and live entertainment.
Urjatva also positioned the venue as a collaborative platform by bringing together policymakers, tourism authorities, industry associations, hospitality leaders and event professionals to collectively shape Goa’s MICE future. Participants broadly agreed that while the Urja Bharat Convention Centre addresses a critical infrastructure gap, Goa’s long-term success as a global convention destination will depend on coordinated destination marketing, policy support, enhanced connectivity, workforce development and sustained public-private collaboration.
