Bhubaneswar: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat visited the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) at Odisha’s Puri town to review the security and surveillance preparedness for this year's Ratha Jatra.

Odisha Higher Education and Culture Minister Suryavansi Suraj and Puri MP Sambit Patra accompanied the Union Ministers.

Pradhan and Shekhawat appreciated the use of technology-driven solutions developed by Odisha's defence technology startup IG Drones for the security surveillance during the annual mega event.

For the first time, advanced drone surveillance technology has been extensively deployed at key locations at Puri during the Ratha Jatra. The system facilitates real-time monitoring of crowd movement, traffic and potential emergencies from the air. Along with this, anti-drone systems have been strategically positioned to detect and counter unauthorized threats from the air.

Odisha Police has partnered with IG Drones to enhance security during the Ratha Jatra of Lord Jagannath, one of India's holiest festivals.

A trusted name in the Indian defence ecosystem, IG Drones has deployed advanced aerial surveillance and counter-drone systems for the grand festival, ensuring easy monitoring. The setup has been enhanced with 275 AI-powered CCTV cameras, a real-time WhatsApp chatbot for people's assistance, and an integrated command and control centre. Both the Union Ministers appreciated the technology-first approach adopted by the Odisha Police and their partners.

"This is a great example of how technology can be used to preserve tradition. The combination of AI drone surveillance and real-time command capabilities is commendable,” said Pradhan.

Bodhisattva Sanghapriya, Founder and CEO of IG Drones, said, “The Ratha Jatra is deeply personal to me, not just as a tech entrepreneur but as someone who is born and raised in Odisha. It is a proud moment and a great responsibility for us to contribute to the security of this important spiritual and cultural festival. This year, by integrating our advanced drone surveillance with anti-drone defense systems, we are helping to ensure that the Ratha Jatra is peaceful, safe and hassle-free.”

It is worth mentioning here that IG Drones also played a key role in the Operation Sindoor, launched by the Indian Armed Forces to destroy terror infrastructure in Pakistan in the wake of April 22 Pahalgam attack.