Prince Rahim Aga Khan V begins landmark first visit to India as Ismaili Imam

Prince Rahim Aga Khan V has arrived in India for a week-long visit, marking his first official trip to the country since succeeding his father as the 50th Imam of the Shia Ismaili community.

The spiritual leader's visit, running from 9 to 15 September, focuses on high-level diplomatic talks and a review of the extensive development work managed by the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). During his stay in New Delhi, Prince Rahim is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan is also hosting a banquet in his honour.

An Aga Khan official confirmed that while Prince Rahim last visited India in July 2024 to inaugurate the Humayun’s Tomb Museum, this trip represents his first as the formal head of the Ismaili community. He assumed the position following the death of his father, Prince Karim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan IV.

Strengthening partnerships in Delhi and beyond

The Prime Minister's Office said the discussions between Modi and Prince Rahim would focus on strengthening the ongoing partnership between India and the AKDN. The network, which Prince Rahim chairs, has a deep-rooted presence in India dating back to 1905, when it opened its first school in Gujarat. Today, it manages several distinct entities in the country, spanning education, health, agriculture, and cultural preservation.

After completing his meetings in the capital, Prince Rahim is scheduled to travel to Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Telangana to inspect local initiatives and meet members of the Ismaili community, which has an estimated global population of 12 million to 15 million people.

Focus on rural development in Gujarat

In Gujarat, Prince Rahim is scheduled to meet Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Governor Acharya Devvrat. The state holds a central place in the AKDN's history. The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP), established there in 1983, has grown from its initial field sites in Junagadh, Surendranagar, and Bharuch to operate across 17 districts.

Figures from the development network show the scale of this work. The programme has helped more than 70,000 farmers through irrigation projects and supported over 75,000 others in transitioning to natural farming methods. It has also installed more than 6,000 biogas systems, 200 solar-powered irrigation units, and 3,000 water harvesting structures across the state.

Cultural preservation projects

Beyond rural development, the visit highlights the network's high-profile heritage conservation efforts. In Delhi, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture led the restoration of Humayun’s Tomb and its surrounding Mughal monuments—a site that now draws more than two million visitors annually.

The network has undertaken a similar large-scale conservation project at the Qutb Shahi Royal Tombs in Hyderabad, which Prince Rahim is also scheduled to visit before concluding his trip.