Dhol, bhangra and gidda: Italy’s Sikh community readies grand reception for PM Modi's visit

In a massive display of community organisation, Italy’s Punjabi diaspora has launched a coordinated initiative code-named Mission ‘Welcome’ to greet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he lands in Rome for the final leg of his five-nation global tour.

The Punjabi community, predominantly Jat Sikhs who migrated over the last three decades, has quietly become the undisputed backbone of Italy’s agricultural and dairy sectors.

The 'Roma Chalo' mobilisation

Coordinated by central Gurudwara (sikh place of worship) management committees and cultural organisations from northern and central Italy, Mission 'Welcome' has organised a massive logistical transport network. Fleets of private buses and carpools have been chartered from agricultural hubs like Pontinia, Latina, and Reggio Emilia to bring thousands of diaspora members into Rome.

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Bhangra in Rome

Right outside the designated transit venues in Rome, youth groups are setting up vibrant cultural staging zones featuring traditional Dhol players, Bhangra, and Gidda dancers to give the delegation a distinctly Indian reception.

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Beyond the fanfare, senior community elders are using the high-profile visit to interface with Indian diplomats. They plan to advocate for the swift, localised implementation of the recently signed India-Italy Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement, which aims to safeguard the legal rights of Indian agricultural workers, ease seasonal visa bottlenecks, and streamline family reunification processes.

With an estimated population exceeding 220,000, the Italian Sikh diaspora is now the second-largest in mainland Europe, second only to the United Kingdom.