Pragati Maidan - The Exhibition Complex

Pragati Maidan, headquarters of the India Trade Promotion Organization, is more than just the premier exhibition complex of India. True to the meaning of its name, ‘Pragati Maidan’ stands for development and progress through trade.

Being India’s biggest world-class exhibition complex and a symbol of the ‘Modern Fair Culture’ in India; Pragati Maidan has grown with every event in stature and dimension. The development of the exhibition ground was a prelude to the hosting of Railway Exhibition in 1952 to mark the centenary of Railways in India. This was followed by Fairs like International Low Cost Housing Exhibition in 1955, International Graphic Arts and Printing Machinery Fair in 1957, World Agriculture Fair in 1960 and Indian Industrial Exhibition in 1961. However, the sprawling complex took its shape during 1958. The seventies changed both the fair complex as well as its complexion, with the hosting of Asia 1972 – the third Asian International Trade Fair coinciding with India’s Silver Jubilee Year of Independence. It was an important milestone, as the Indian business community could understand the potential of promotional events like the Trade Fairs. The Fair Ground was re-christened as ‘Pragati Maidan’. In an ostensible acknowledgement of the significance of these events, the Trade Fair Authority of India (TFAI) was formed on April 1, 1977 by an Act of Parliament through the amalgamation of three bodies – Indian Council of Trade Fairs and Exhibitions, Directorate of Exhibitions and Commercial Publicity of the Ministry of Commerce and India International Trade Fair Organization, with the primary aim of organizing trade shows.

India Trade Promotion Organization was formed subsequently on January 1, 1992 with the merger of the former Trade Development Authority (TDA) with the TFAI (TDA was set up in 1970 as a registered society under the Ministry of Commerce). Professionally managing India’s premier exhibition complex, ITPO has, over the years reached many important milestones while performing its mandated role as the nodal trade promotion agency of the Government of India. Significantly, with regard to products and markets, is also regularly interacting with NCIT for supplementing its information base.

As a world class exhibition ground in India, Pragati Maidan hosts a series of high quality international and national trade fairs. Its exhibition halls, complete with a network of infrastructural facilities, in a lush green setting, make it the automatic choice of top-notch exhibition organizers from India and abroad.

Pragati Maidan, offers a business environment that promises to transform challenges into opportunities. Visited by top representatives and captains of trade and industry from all over India and abroad, Pragati Maidan clearly tunes into the requirements of the vast Indian and global markets.