KUALA LUMPUR: The Global Indian Festival 2024 (GIF 2024) is targeting up to 150,000 visitors at its 19th edition of 'All Things India'. Founder and chief executive officer of Agenda Suria Communications Sdn Bhd as the organiser of the carnival, Jaggarao Simancha said the exhibition, which started yesterday and runs until Sunday, aims to make Malaysia a hub to promote Indian culture in the region. "Taking a closer look at this exhibition, since 2003, the average attendance of visitors is approximately five million people, while the number of traders reaches three thousand people. In fact, this festival not only attracts the interest of the Indian community, but also Malays, Chinese, and foreign tourists. "This exhibition not only aims to showcase the culture of the Indian community (such as clothing, food, and dance), but also provides a platform for traders from various backgrounds, including the Indian community and other nationalities, to network and prosper," he said. He said this after the GIF 2024 in auguration ceremony which was officiated by Klang Member of Parliament V. Ganabatirau at Midvalley Megamall here today. At this year's festival, more than 120 vendors offer a variety of Indian apparel and food, as well as a host of activities for visitors to engage in. In the meantime, for Ismail Khan Ahmad Khan, 69, he was excited to attend the exhibition while describing the items on sale as cheap and unique. "I never miss coming to this exhibition every year. Looking at the items sold, they are cheap and the designs of the clothing are unique and change every year. "At the same time, I can also get to experience the culture of the Indian community more closely," he said. Meanwhile for Indian citizen Nisha Tated, 49, she admits that exhibitions like this somewhat cure her longing for the country of her birth. "I feel like I'm in Little India when I come to this festival. I see a lot of Indian society, food like panipuri (a common street food in the Indian subcontinent) and sweets similar to those in I ndia. I like it," said Nisha who works as a Hindi language teacher. Source: BERNAMA News Agency