Uttarakhand

R In the hills of Uttarakhand—where migration has hollowed out villages and tradition has long dictated leadership—a quiet but powerful revolution is unfolding. Fresh out of college, armed with degrees and smartphones, a new generation of village heads, many of them women in their early twenties, is stepping into grassroots politics with one clear mission: to rebuild their villages from within. The recent Panchayat elections in Uttarakhand marked a turning point. Several young women won seats historically dominated by older men, challenging not just age-old hierarchies but also the deeply entrenched model of the “Pradhan Pati” that has long shadowed women’s leadership. For these Gen Z leaders, the Panchayat is not a stepping stone to power or prestige—it is a conscious decision to re...

Nainital, December 18, 2025: In a tragic road accident in Uttarakhand, a Scorpio vehicle carrying devotees to the famous Kaanchi Dham fell into a deep gorge in the Lohali area of Nainital on Thursday. The accident claimed the lives of three family members, while four others sustained critical injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. According to reports, all the passengers belonged to the same family and were on a pilgrimage to Kaanchi Dham. Eyewitnesses said that as the vehicle approached the temple area, the driver lost control, causing the car to skid off the road and plunge into the gorge. Rescue OperationThe State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) promptly arrived at the site after receiving information about the accident. Rescue personnel faced a challenging ta...

During the Winter Session of Parliament, political debate over the proposed changes to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) intensified. The government’s plan to introduce a new policy and rename the scheme has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition, especially the Congress party, which claims that the change erases Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi had previously criticized the move. In the heated discussions, Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar MP Ajay Bhatt presented a unique perspective. Highlighting the spiritual significance of Lord Ram’s name, he suggested that chanting “Ram Naam” could provide solutions for a wide range of personal and familial problems. Addressing Parliament, Ajay Bhatt dismissed Congress’s allegati...

The case of journalist Pankaj Mishra’s death in Uttarakhand has taken a new turn. An FIR has been registered against his colleague, Amit Sehgal, on charges of assault. Following dissatisfaction with the initial post-mortem report, a second post-mortem is being conducted today by a panel of doctors. According to the complaint filed by the deceased journalist’s brother, Arvind Mishra of Alambagh, Lucknow, the Dehradun police registered a case under IPC Sections 103, 304, 333, and 352 against Amit Sehgal. Alleged Brutal Assault:Arvind Mishra alleges that on the night of December 15, Amit Sehgal, along with another individual, went to Pankaj Mishra’s rented residence in the Jakhan area of Dehradun. There, they allegedly assaulted Pankaj with the intent to kill, striking him on the chest ...

Dehradun’s SCERT campus at Nanur Kheda witnessed a proud moment on Monday as Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami flagged off a group of 240 meritorious students for an extensive Bharat Darshan Educational Tour. The initiative aims to offer the state’s top-performing Class 10 students a firsthand experience of India’s scientific achievements, cultural heritage, technological progress, and historical legacy. This year’s tour marks an expansion of the initiative, which began in 2024–25 with 156 students. Students to Visit India’s Premier Space and Research Centres Under this programme, the selected students will visit some of India’s most prestigious scientific and space institutions, including: ISRO’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota U.R. Rao Satellite Centr...

Uttarkashi: A unique environmental protest unfolded in Uttarkashi where activists, environmentalists, and citizens from across the country gathered to tie ‘Raksha Sutra’ on trees. This symbolic act aims to protect thousands of trees marked to be cut for the Char Dham All-Weather Road widening project. Participants from Delhi, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and other states assembled near Harsil under the ‘Himalaya Hai Toh Hum Hain’ campaign. They performed rituals, offered prayers to deodar trees, and tied sacred threads around their trunks, pledging to safeguard them from felling. Over 6,000 Trees Marked for Cutting Local groups revealed that more than 6,000 trees, many of them decades old, have been identified for removal as part of the widening project. This public movement began aft...

Champawat (Uttarakhand): A devastating accident took place on the Lohaghat–Ghat National Highway in Champawat district, where a Bolero carrying wedding guests plunged into a deep gorge near Bagdhara late Wednesday night. The mishap claimed five lives, while five others sustained serious injuries. The incident occurred around 2:30 AM when the vehicle, part of a wedding procession returning after the bride’s bidai, lost control at the sharp Bagdhara bend. According to eyewitnesses and members of the wedding party, the driver was reportedly under the influence of alcohol, which may have led to the fatal loss of control. Local residents rushed to the spot and helped rescue the injured from the gorge. The victims were immediately taken to Lohaghat Sub-District Hospital, where a team led b...

Dehradun, Uttarakhand: In a historic decision, the Uttarakhand government has officially renamed the state’s Raj Bhavans in Dehradun and Nainital as ‘Lok Bhavan’. The change comes following approval from Lieutenant Governor (Retd.) Gurmeet Singh and in accordance with a letter issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, dated 25 November 2025. The official notification, released by Raj Bhavan Secretary Ravinath Raman, clarified that the two Raj Bhavans will henceforth be known as Dehradun Lok Bhavan and Nainital Lok Bhavan. Dehradun Raj Bhavan: A Post-Statehood EstablishmentFollowing the formation of Uttarakhand on 9 November 2000 as India’s 27th state, the Dehradun Raj Bhavan was initially set up temporarily at Bijapur House on New Cantt Road. Later, the Circuit House ...

Haridwar, Uttarakhand: In a significant move ahead of the Haridwar Ardh Kumbh 2027, the Juna Akhara has expelled Mahamandaleshwar Swami Yatindranand Giri and Mahamandaleshwar Swami Prabodhanand Giri for raising questions over the event and making statements against the government. The action was announced through a letter issued by Mahant Mohan Bharti, the International President of Shri Panch Dashnam Juna Akhara. The Akhara stated that the action was taken due to the monks’ unwarranted criticism of the state government and administration, including questioning the Akhara representatives’ meeting with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami regarding the Ardh Kumbh arrangements. Akhara Stands for Tradition and DisciplineMahant Mohan Bharti emphasized that the Akhara system is ...