Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani Visits Kolkata, Meets West Bengal Chief Minister; Discusses Development and Governance

Jaipur/Kolkata, July 2026: Rajasthan Legislative Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani arrived in Kolkata on Thursday for a two-day visit to West Bengal. During his visit, he paid a courtesy call on West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at the State Secretariat, where the two leaders held detailed discussions on a range of issues concerning Rajasthan and West Bengal.

Chief Minister Adhikari welcomed Devnani with a bouquet, while the Rajasthan Assembly Speaker felicitated the Chief Minister by presenting him with a traditional Rajasthan stole and a memento from the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly.

Congratulating Adhikari, Devnani extended his best wishes for achieving new milestones in governance and development under his leadership in West Bengal.

Later in the day, Devnani was accorded a grand welcome at a ‘Meet and Greet’ programme organised by the Rajasthan Forum at ITC Royal Bengal, Kolkata. Representatives of more than a dozen Rajasthan-based organisations working across various sectors in West Bengal participated in the event.

Addressing the gathering, Devnani urged members of the Rajasthani diaspora to actively contribute towards realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India).

He said both Rajasthan and West Bengal were witnessing changing circumstances that offered fresh opportunities to accelerate progress and development.

Highlighting Rajasthan’s growth trajectory, Devnani said the state has been making steady progress across sectors. Referring to West Bengal, he remarked that until recently, the state’s situation had been a matter of concern, with industries moving out and an atmosphere of fear prevailing among people.

“Today, the changing environment is clearly visible. There is renewed enthusiasm and confidence on the faces of the people, and West Bengal is moving steadily on the path of progress,” he said.

The Speaker praised the contribution of Rajasthani migrants, saying they have established a distinct identity wherever they have settled through hard work and dedication.

“Looking around Kolkata, I feel as though I am witnessing a miniature Rajasthan,” Devnani said, adding that the Rajasthani community living outside the state should continue to prosper while always remaining connected to their native land.

He also reaffirmed India’s civilizational heritage, stating that India has always been and will continue to remain the ‘Vishwa Guru’ (global teacher).

During the event, Devnani emphasized the importance of preserving and promoting Rajasthan’s rich art, culture, and folk traditions. He said the Rajasthani diaspora serves as a strong ambassador of the state’s cultural identity across the world and stressed the need to connect younger generations with their cultural heritage.

On July 3, Devnani is scheduled to deliver the keynote address at a technical session on “Financial Business and Budgetary Process in the Parliamentary System” as part of the National Orientation Programme for Newly Elected Legislators. The programme is being jointly organised by the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE) under the Lok Sabha Secretariat and the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.

During the Rajasthan Forum event, the organisation’s founder, Sandeep Bhutoria, said the Forum is a collective of 34 distinguished personalities from Rajasthan, including artists, writers, cultural practitioners, sportspersons and experts from various creative fields. For over a decade, the organisation has been actively working to preserve, promote and showcase Rajasthan’s rich artistic and cultural heritage.

Devnani was felicitated by the Forum during the ceremony.

The Rajasthan Forum is chaired by Grammy Award winner and Padma Bhushan recipient Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, while Padma Bhushan awardee and Paralympian Devendra Jhajharia is among its prominent members.