Planning and programming for a government-hosted mass-gathering event in India: the 2019 Prayagraj Kumbh Mela

Andrenacci, Luciano and Barzelay, Michael ORCID: 0000-0003-3803-8947 (2025) Planning and programming for a government-hosted mass-gathering event in India: the 2019 Prayagraj Kumbh Mela. In: Sallai, Dorottya and Pepper, Alexander, (eds.) Navigating the 21st Century Business World: Case Studies in Management. LSE Press, London, UK, 241 - 250. ISBN 9781911712381

Text (bdca78d7-473f-4cd3-91c9-383bd3f7b9d8) - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial. Download (185kB)

Abstract

India has a long tradition, going back to colonial times, in which governments play host to multi-week Hindu festivals, known as melas. In 2017, the newly elected head of Uttar Pradesh’s state government decided the 2019 mela in Prayagraj was to be more than a usual one: the experience of attending would be as magnificent as possible for as many as could attend. This would be a Kumbh Mela, a major focus for regional and local development in the state. Cleanliness would be a major goal, and preparations would get underway 18 months ahead of the event. This case is broadly about managing a programme of major projects in government in preparation for hosting a mass-gathering event – one that turned out to be the largest human gathering ever on the planet.

Item Type:	Book Section
Additional Information:	© 2025 The Authors
Divisions:	Management
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor J Political Science > JQ Political institutions Asia, Africa, Australia, Pacific
Date Deposited:	10 Jul 2025 14:09
Last Modified:	10 Jul 2025 14:18
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/128778

Actions (login required)

View Item