The 84th All India Industrial Exhibition, known as Numaish, saw a notable decline in attendance in 2025 compared to its record-breaking year in 2024. This year, the event attracted 17.46 lakh visitors over 46 days, a significant drop from the 25 lakh attendees the previous year.
Published Feb 17, 2025 | 9:50 AM ⚊ Updated Feb 17, 2025 | 9:50 AM
Numaish 2025
Synopsis: The industrial exhibition, Numaish-2025, will conclude on Monday, 17 February. Unlike the previous edition, the footfalls were less.
The All India Industrial Exhibition, popularly known as Numaish, has been a hallmark of Hyderabad’s cultural and commercial landscape for over eight decades.
First held in 1938 as a small-scale exhibition to promote locally made goods, it has since grown into a massive annual event, attracting vendors and visitors from across the country.
The 2025 edition of Numaish, its 84th iteration, has been running for 46 days and will continue until 17 February at the Exhibition Grounds in Hyderabad.
With its signature blend of shopping, food, and entertainment, the fair hosts vendors from multiple states, offering a wide array of products. The four major categories dominating the marketplace are clothes, handicrafts, dry fruits and spices, and drapes, sheets, and carpets—each drawing crowds eager for unique finds and exclusive deals.
Pervez Abdullah runs the Blue Hills Kashmir Dry Fruits and Nuts stall at Numaish. He manages it with four others, who came from Srinagar, Kashmir, for their fifth year at the exhibition.
“The business this year is good. However, it misses the mark and magic from the last couple of years,” Pervez explained. “Despite the increase in rent from ₹1.5 lakh to ₹2 lakh, we don’t see the energy witnessed during the past editions over the last 45 days,” he continued.
Pervez has seen better years at Numaish. He wasn’t the only one who noted the reduced footfall. Still, he remains hopeful. “It’s not as good as before, but it’s alright,” he sounded optimistic.
Blue Hills Kashmiri Dry Fruits
Similarly, home décor is a major attraction at Numaish, with several vendors showcasing unique designs.
Among them is Sarfaroz (name changed), who, coming from Delhi, runs a stall at the exhibition. He works for Aswal Handicrafts, a shop that has been a part of Numaish for the past three years.
The company designs and manufactures lamps and other home décor items in Delhi. Their collection includes everything from simple, solid-colored designs to intricate, handcrafted patterns.
Sarfaroz and his team look forward to the exhibition each year, bringing their latest creations to Hyderabad’s eager shoppers.
However, like Pervez, Sarfaroz has noted a fall in visitors to his store this year.
“I had a wonderful time at the Numaish! Found some really good deals on clothes and other things, and the prices were much better than usual,” Avantika, a visitor, stated. ” I really enjoyed the exhibition and would visit again,” she added.
“I liked the huge expanse of meals,” Praneetha, a 20-year-old visitor, told South First. “Given the low price, I couldn’t stop myself from splurging a bit. I got some cotton tops and palazzos for the summer,” she said. ‘However, the crowd was a deterrent and made UPI payments a hassle,” she noted.
Avantika also faced some issues. “The queues for tickets were long because there weren’t enough ticket booths. Also, it was hard to find drinking water. There was only one brand, Masqati, and it was priced higher than regular water bottles,” she revealed.
“My friend and I reached there in the afternoon and shopped first. By the time we finished, it was way too crowded at the rides, so we couldn’t get on them,” she reported.
Rides at the Numaish
In one corner of the expansive Numaish are a bunch of joy rides. With numerous rides, it allows for a quick thrill amidst the exhibition. Just recently, on 16 January, an amusement ride malfunctioned, leaving passengers suspended upside down for over 20 minutes.
The incident occurred during a trial run when the ride halted unexpectedly due to battery issues. Technicians on-site promptly replaced the faulty battery, restoring the ride’s functionality. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the ride resumed operations after the brief delay.
“You see, when you come here from a different state, your primary focus is to sell your products,” Abdul said. “Given that objective, I’ve not seen any of Hyderabad except for the Exhibition Grounds and Charminar,” he continued. He has represented Mumbai-based Mili Handloom for the last four years at the Numaish.
Along with his staff of about four others, he sells bedsheets of all sizes at the Numaish. However, he also opined that the Numaish is not as ‘happening’ as last year, seconding Pervez and Sarfaroz’s observations.
The 84th All India Industrial Exhibition, known as Numaish, saw a significant decline in attendance in 2025 compared to its record-breaking year in 2024. This year, the event attracted 17.46 lakh visitors over 46 days, a significant drop from the 25 lakh attendees the previous year.
Vendors have expressed concerns over the reduced footfall, attributing it to various factors. One major reason cited is the concurrent Kumbh Mela, which may have drawn potential visitors away from Numaish. While the vendors have not reported poor sales, some are left unsatisfied after last year’s rush.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
