The Grand Mufti of India, Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad, will visit the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on December 13 to attend the Luminary Conference, a programme where organisers say themes of education, social harmony and civic responsibility will be in focus. His upcoming visit has already triggered a wave of citizen-led activity across the islands.
In recent days, local groups have organised a string of community initiatives, including cleanliness drives, eco-cycle rides, cycle rallies and bike rallies at Ograbraj, Calicut, Marina Park and other locations. Residents from different age groups turned out to sweep streets, clear litter from public spaces and speak to shopkeepers and households about keeping their surroundings clean.
The eco-cycle and cycle rallies drew strong turnout from school and college students, who framed their participation as support for sustainable mobility and basic environmental discipline. Bike rallies added visibility, with riders treating the events as both a civic campaign and a show of solidarity ahead of the Grand Mufti’s arrival.
Organisers emphasised that the activities are not meant to be mere optics around a high-profile visit. By foregrounding cleanliness and shared responsibility for public spaces, they said they want to push the idea that civic conduct and everyday community behaviour are as important as formal speeches on stage. Several groups are now exploring the possibility of making these drives a recurring feature, extending beyond December 13.
The announcement of the Luminary Conference has also renewed interest in the office of the Grand Mufti itself and what it represents within the Sunni Muslim community in India. The current Grand Mufti is Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad, a widely respected Islamic scholar who was elected to the position by religious scholars of India in March 2019.
As Grand Mufti, he is regarded as the highest religious authority for Sunni Muslims in the country. In this role, he issues religious decrees, or fatwas, advises on spiritual and social matters, and is involved in shaping responses to questions of faith, practice and community life. His responsibilities extend beyond purely doctrinal issues to social welfare, education and questions of coexistence in a diverse and often polarised society.
Supporters describe the seat of the Grand Mufti as a key reference point for Sunni religious guidance in India, with the office serving as an umbrella for consultative opinions on matters ranging from family law and ethics to contemporary challenges facing the community. While the position is not a state office and carries no formal governmental authority, its influence stems from religious scholarship, institutional networks and the moral weight attached to its opinions among followers.
Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad’s own profile has helped give the seat additional national and international visibility. A prominent scholar from Kerala, he is known for his work in education, social reform and interfaith outreach. He heads Markaz Knowledge City in Kerala, an educational and cultural township that houses institutions dedicated to Islamic studies, modern education and skill development. Through this and related initiatives, he has been involved in promoting Islamic education alongside broader social and economic upliftment.
Over the years, he has also built a significant international presence, participating in conferences and dialogues that foreground peace, communal harmony and engagement between different faith communities. His supporters point to this background to argue that the visit to the Andamans is not just a religious event but an opportunity to plug local issues into wider conversations on education, social welfare and coexistence.
In the islands, organisers of the Luminary Conference say they are looking to use the December 13 programme to highlight themes such as youth engagement, environmental responsibility and community welfare. The civic actions that have preceded the visit, from litter clean-ups to cycle rallies, are being projected as an attempt to align local public conduct with some of the values associated with the Grand Mufti’s work, rather than treating the event as a stand-alone religious gathering.
Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad’s programmes in the Andamans are expected to draw large participation, with residents anticipating public addresses, interactions and guidance from one of the country’s most influential religious leaders. For now, the most visible impact of his impending visit is on the streets and seafronts where volunteers have been sweeping, cycling and rallying, hoping that the momentum for a cleaner and more responsible island community will endure well beyond December 13.
