Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy will participate in the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) in Bridgetown, Barbados, along with other Indian delegates, an official said on Sunday.
India’s Delegation at the CPC
The Indian delegation will be led by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and will include Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Members of Parliament, Speakers, Deputy Speakers, and secretaries from 22 states.
“The CPA consists of 56 member countries, and India remains one of its most active and influential participants,” Padhy said ahead of her departure.
Focus on Women Parliamentarians
In addition to the main event, Padhy will attend the 9th Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Conference, to be held from October 7 to 8, alongside the CPC from October 5 to 12.
At the conference, she is expected to address a special session on “Good Practices and Strategies for Realising Gender-Sensitive Parliaments across the Commonwealth.”
Study Tour and International Engagements
Following the conference, Padhy will embark on a study tour to London from October 12 to 14, where she will meet members of the Odia diaspora to discuss the outcomes of the CPC and related parliamentary issues.
Representing the Ranpur constituency, she also plans to visit the British Museum to view the bamboo stick used by freedom fighters Raghunath Mohabty and Dibakar Parida, who resisted British officer Major Bazalgette during India’s freedom struggle.
Her schedule further includes visits to Zurich (Oct 14–16) and Paris (Oct 16–18), where she will engage with officials from the Indian High Commission and the local Odia community. She is expected to return to Odisha on October 19, officials confirmed.
