Dear Local Guides Community,
This post is part of #IndiaCommunitySpotlight2025 coordinated by @curatorofmemory - a week-long celebration, by #TeamIndia. This is also a part of Community Spotlight 2025, an initiative by @AdrianLunsong to celebrate 10 years of Local Guides.
The incredible strength of the Indian Local Guides community isn’t just measured by points or reviews—it’s defined by the spirit of collaboration and the unwavering dedication we share, which are the backbone of our network.
These gatherings are more than just events; they are dynamic hubs for learning, celebrating achievements, and forging invaluable connections. Every Local Guide who attends, often dedicating their precious time and effort to travel or log in, contributes to a collective goal: making Google Maps better for millions of users.
Join us as we reflect on the recent meet-ups that have brought us closer and fueled our passion for contribution! This post has been curated in collaboration with @Gvipin
Rani Ki Vav - A Mega Meet-up in Gujarat celebrating 50th Local Guides Meet-up
Planning for the milestone 50th Local Guides meet-up began two months in advance, led by a dedicated six-person team who coordinated logistics and designed custom merchandise and hosted by the ever helpful connect Moderator from India @NareshDarji
Sixty-five Local Guides from across India registered for the event at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Rani Ki Vav, with special travel and accommodation support provided for out-of-state attendees.
The journey began with high spirits, highlighted by @prashant_kyada remarkable 600 km motorcycle ride to attend. The participants enjoyed knowing more about this history of Rani ki Vav, conducted photo booth sessions. The event concluded with the distribution of commemorative gifts and honors for the RSC staff, cementing this meet-up as a memorable community achievement. Recap of the Meet-Up.
Celebrating 50th India Local Guides Meet-up in Pune
On November 10, 2024, Local Guides from across India gathered in Pune for the milestone 50th Mega Meetup, graced by Googler @Latika_Malhotra and hosted by @TusharSuradkar Participants traveled from various cities, with Naitik Bhayani journeying an impressive 720 km to attend.
The event day featured fun games and an engaging quiz on Google Maps hosted by @AjitThite where winners earned India-themed mugs. Attendees bonded over snacks, exchanging tips on Maps and the Connect platform.
A highlight was the Google-sponsored ‘Thali’ lunch, during which @Latika_Malhotra presented certificates to logo design winners. The day concluded with a vibrant exchange of souvenirs, badges, and stickers.
Maha Mega Meetup - Pune
The Mega Meetup at JM Corner successfully united enthusiastic Local Guides from across Maharashtra, including Mumbai, Nashik, and Jalgaon, admirably hosted by @ShubhamWaman
The event began with a warm welcome, refreshments, and introductions, allowing participants to share their Local Guide experiences. The atmosphere was enhanced by a banner designed by @TusharSuradkar with snacks, tea, and swags generously sponsored by @TusharSuradkar
A key highlight was the engaging quiz session, actively supervised by senior Local Guides. The celebratory award ceremony took place at Pataleshwar Temple, with gifts for the winners sponsored by @NERKARAMIT Additional swags, including fridge magnets from @Ketan_Kangankar were contributed by multiple members. Recap link.
India Mega Meet-Up in New Delhi
The India Mega Meet-Up in New Delhi was a major milestone, bringing together over fifty Local Guides from states like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Kerala. Planning began two and a half months prior, culminating in a well-coordinated national event organized by the Delhi Local Guides team, graciously hosted by @ShreyaMusings along with @Gvipin @Nomad_Enkay @SonamW @Hemendu @Ssiddharth2000 @SharmaK
The event featured introductions led by @ShreyaMusings @TravellerG and @TusharSuradkar certificate presentations by @TusharSuradkar and a review of community meet-ups. A key highlight was the attendance of Googler @Latika_Malhotra who shared valuable insights on Google Maps and Connect, and answered community questions. Special mention and credit must be given to @AjitThite for inviting Latika to the event.
Activities included a fun game by @Nomad_Enkay, a photo booth challenge, and a delicious Google-sponsored lunch. @TravellerG also led a knowledge-sharing session on zoom camera techniques. A parallel virtual meet-up followed, featuring a quiz by @SharmaK extended participation.
The successful event, held at NIV Art Centre, concluded with group photos, reinforcing the community’s passion and collaborative spirit. Recap Link.
The Bangalore Mega Meet-Up
The Bangalore Mega Meet-Up, held on September 20, 2025, at Srivari Bhimas, Yelahanka, was a significant success, attracting 68 Local Guides—exceeding the planned attendance of 50. Hosted by @TravellerG the event was coordinated by a dedicated team following an idea proposed by @TusharSuradkar
The formal session began with TravellerG and Tushar sharing their Level 10 journeys. A key part of the event was the attendance of Googlers @Latika_Malhotra Moh, Emily, and Malini, who conducted pre-planned demos for Local Guides.
Simultaneously, @ShreyaMusings led a fun introduction activity, and a virtual meet-up by @aditya.kalkur ran alongside, ensuring strong online engagement. Networking was a major highlight, with attendees socializing, taking photos, and creating reels well into the afternoon.
A traditional South Indian lunch was served on banana leaves, which was sponsored generously by Google, thanks to @Latika_Malhotra Attendees also received sustainability-themed bags with bookmarks and stickers. Further contributions included laser-engraved stainless steel glasses from @TravellerG and a backdrop banner by @SharmaK
The event, which featured personalized name tags spelling “GOOGLE,” was highly memorable, with special thanks extended to the Googlers for their valuable input. Recap Link.
Coming Soon :
- The Mega Meet-Up at Kochi. Details to be shared soon once the date is finalized.
The Virtual Vanguard: Fueling Fun, Learning, and Networking through Connect
The Local Guides community has seen phenomenal success not only through physical gatherings but also through a series of incredible virtual meetups. These global sessions have consistently delivered engaging challenges, quizzes, and invaluable learning, drawing participation from senior Local Guides across the world.
Each and every virtual meet-up has been phenomenal, but for the sake of brevity of this post, I would like to highlight 2 such meetups which are nothing less than extraordinary. Kindly forgive me if I missed out mentioning other equally enriching initiatives / challenges.
Chai Pe Charcha Series - Fostering Connections over a cup of Tea
Launched earlier this year and initiated by @TusharSuradkar, a dedicated challenge was undertaken to raise awareness and support for small and micro local businesses. Local Guides passionately participated, visiting tea shops and cafes of all sizes—often with friends, family, or other Local Guides, and sometimes solo.
This focused initiative saw over 60 Local Guides participate, many multiple times, having now crossed 160+ posts. More details can be learnt here. The challenge’s key actions and highlights included:
- Taking and adding high-quality storefront photos.
- Editing and updating crucial place information.
- Adding many previously unlisted small businesses to Google Maps.
- Educating business owners on the value of owning their business profile.
Furthermore, It also served as an excellent opportunity for new Local Guides to connect and encouraged participants to explore many previously lesser-known features of Google Maps.
Virtual Voyages: Unpacking Knowledge with Ghumakkad Gossip
Ghumakkad Gossip is a brilliant and well thought out initiative launched by @Kumaarsantosh as a series of virtual meetups aimed at fostering experiential discussions among Local Guides on Connect regarding relevant topics.
Each session features Guest Speaker(s) who champion the respective subject, sharing their knowledge and experiences following a pre-defined format.
The series is exclusively virtual, initially planned to run once a month for a duration of one hour. The frequency and duration are flexible and may be revised based on participant responses and reactions. The core goal is to spread knowledge and spark meaningful dialogue within the Local Guides community.
Highlights of the series :
- 10 episodes of Ghumakkad Gossip V1 completed with 100+ individual participants
- 4 episodes of Ghumakkad Gossip V2 already completed, more in store
- Well experienced International and Indian LGs (Including Connect Moderators) have graced the event as Guest speaker
- All participants’ take away was unique and filled with immense value to Connect platform and Google Maps
More information about the Ghumakkad Gossip series can be found here, and details of the next episode is here.
I hope this post brings out the true essence and importance of knowledge and collaboration between LGs from the Indian community which truly make it special.
To know more about the #IndiaCommunitySpotlight series read the post here.
Note : Credit to all the images goes to their respectful owners.
#TeamIndia
#10YearsOfLocalGuides
#CommunitySpotlight2025
#IndianCommunitySpotlight2025
Absolutely amazing to see the Indian Local Guides community growing stronger with every meet-up! 
