Where the Himalayan foothills meet literary ambition, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami arrived at Lekhak Gaon in Thano, Dehradun, on Thursday, 29 October 2026 to close the Lekhak Gaon International Mahotsav-2026 — and left with two new books unveiled and a string of state commitments to literary culture.

Two Books, One Stage at Thano

At the closing ceremony, CM Dhami released two publications: 'Dharti Ka Swarg Uttarakhand' (धरती का स्वर्ग उत्तराखंड, 'Uttarakhand — Heaven on Earth') and 'Devbhoomi Ka Kavya Pushp' (देवभूमि का काव्य पुष्प, 'The Poetry Flower of the Land of Gods'). The dual release tied the event's theme — celebrating Indian-language writing — directly to Uttarakhand's own Himalayan identity.

Lekhak Gaon, the literary village established in the forested Thano area of Dehradun district, has built a reputation as a resident retreat and festival venue for Hindi and regional-language writers. Its director, Vidushi Nishank, was present on stage alongside Dhami for the closing session.

Awards and Grants the State Is Putting on the Table

Dhami outlined three pillars of his government's literary support framework. The Uttarakhand Sahitya Gaurav Samman, the Sahitya Bhushan honour, and a Lifetime Achievement Award are being conferred on distinguished writers from the state. Beyond trophies, the government is providing publication grants to authors writing in Hindi and other local languages — a direct subsidy for books that commercial markets alone might not sustain.

The policy lineage runs back to Uttarakhand's formation as a separate state in 2000, when dedicated mechanisms for Hindi and regional-language promotion became state priorities. That institutional scaffolding is now being rebuilt with a tourism-facing rationale: positioning literary culture as a draw for visitors, not merely a subsidy for writers.

Literary Tourism — the Bigger Bet Dhami Is Making

The Chief Minister was explicit about the direction of travel. His government, he said, is working to develop Uttarakhand as a 'major centre of literary tourism'. The logic is straightforward — the state already markets its Himalayan landscapes and temple circuits aggressively; layering literary festivals, writers' residencies, and book events onto that infrastructure could extend visitor dwell-time and spending into sectors well beyond pilgrimage and adventure sports.

Indian states have increasingly raced to own cultural identity as a tourism differentiator, and Uttarakhand's Himalayan-heritage brand makes it a natural candidate. The question analysts will watch is whether 'literary tourism' stays a tagline or gets backed by infrastructure — residency facilities, translation support, and possible collaboration with national bodies such as the Sahitya Akademi.

Who Shared the Stage

Union Minister of State Ajay Tamta, who represents Uttarakhand in the central government, attended the closing, signalling Delhi's endorsement of the event's cultural significance. Former Chief Minister and former Union Education Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' — himself a prolific Hindi author — was also present, lending the occasion a rare continuity across political generations and literary roles. His attendance alongside daughter-in-law Vidushi Nishank, who directs Lekhak Gaon, underscored how closely the institution is tied to the Nishank family's long investment in Uttarakhand's literary ecosystem.

Uttarakhand's mountains have long drawn pilgrims and trekkers. If Dhami's government delivers on its literary-tourism promise, the next visitor to Thano may come not for the altitude — but for the verse.