Uttarakhand Foundation Day

Uttarakhand Foundation Day or Uttarakhand Diwas is celebrated on 9th November annually since 2000 when the state was born after separation from Uttar Pradesh after a long-drawn agitation.

Formerly known as Uttaranchal, Uttarakhand ‘Land of the Gods‘ was created on November 9, 2000, as the 27th state of the Republic of India. It was created from the Himalayan and adjoining northwestern districts of Uttar Pradesh. The state is divided into two divisions– Garhwal and Kumaon, with a total of 13 districts. Referred to as ‘Devbhumi’ Uttrakhand is a divine land holding lot of importance in the Hindu religion.

History of Uttrakhand

The history of Uttrakhand goes back to the stone age, the heavenly natural beauty of the region was the main reason that it was visited by many pilgrims, hermits, scholars, emperors. It was also mentioned in Vedas and Puranas and also in great epic Ramayana and Mahabharata. The mid-Himalayan region of Garhwal and Kumaon was known by the name Kedarkhand and Manaskhand and everything was centered around the mighty river Ganga. This region is the source of the most sacred rivers of India Ganga and Yamuna.

The region was ruled by various rulers in the past until the Britishers came. After the independence of India Tehri Garhwal was merged along with other small princely states and the state Uttar Pradesh was formed. But due to distant government, the hill area of the state was completely neglected and various leaders start to push for a separate state.

The government gave third-hand treatment to the area during the 1993 earthquake in Tehri. The popular Chipko movement gained popularity among common people to save the forests and natural resources. The building of Tehri Dam was seen to bring serious ecological damage to the hills. The demand for a new state burst heavily on the Uttar Pradesh government when a peaceful protest was attacked and abused by Uttar Police in Muzaffarnagar in 1994. The agitation then spread like a wildfire finally the government of India announced the formation of the new state Uttrakhand. Dehradun was named as the interim capital of the new state, with the High Court situated in Nainital.

The name of the state was chosen Uttrakhand but was renamed as Uttranchal, but was again changed to Uttrakhand in 2006. The name was changed to give tribute to those who fought for this state in the name of Uttrakhand Andolan.

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Uttarakhand Day Celebration

Police Parade, Marathons, and cultural programs are being organized across the 13 districts of the Uttrakhand on its foundation day. The government usually holds a week-long celebration called ‘State Foundation Week’. The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Harish Rawat constituted the Uttarakhand Ratna award on the 16th anniversary of the state foundation.

Uttarakhand’s better performance in various sectors during the past two and half years has been appreciated at the national level. Recently, in its innovation index 2019, the NITI Aayog placed Uttarakhand among the top three in the category of North East and the Hill States. In the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign, Udham Singh Nagar was chosen among the best 10 districts of the nation. The State also received seven awards for its performance in Swachchh Bharat Mission- Gramin.

Best wishes to the people of Uttarakhand on the foundation day of the state. We hope the state continues to prosper and develop in the years to come.

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