Khattar Greets Uttarakhand on 26th Statehood Day
Synopsis
Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar marked Uttarakhand's 26th Statehood Day on 9 November 2026 with a Hindi post on X, invoking Baba Kedarnath's blessings and crediting PM Modi and CM Dhami for the state's progress.
Key Takeaways
Uttarakhand Statehood Day falls on 9 November each year, marking the state's creation from Uttar Pradesh in 2000 .
Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar posted greetings in Hindi on 9 November 2026 .
Khattar referred to Uttarakhand as 'Devbhoomi' and highlighted its natural beauty and rich cultural-religious heritage.
He credited PM Narendra Modi and CM Pushkar Singh Dhami for guiding the state's progress.
The message ended with a prayer to Baba Kedarnath for the state's continued prosperity.
Twenty-six years after a long-standing regional aspiration became a state, Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar extended warm greetings to the people of Uttarakhand on its Statehood Day, 9 November 2026, invoking the blessings of Baba Kedarnath for the state's continued progress.
Posting in Hindi on X, Khattar addressed the 'sisters and brothers of Uttarakhand, adorned with natural beauty,' offering his heartfelt wishes on the state's foundation anniversary. He prayed that the 'Devbhoomi' — the Land of Gods — 'keep moving forward on the path of progress and prosperity under the guidance of respected Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji and the able leadership of honourable Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami ji.'
A State Born from Regional Aspiration
Uttarakhand was carved out of Uttar Pradesh and granted statehood on 9 November 2000, fulfilling decades of demand from the hill communities of the region. The state has since built its identity around three inseparable pillars: its dramatic Himalayan landscape, a dense network of Hindu pilgrimage sites — Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri — and a rich folk cultural heritage.
Kedarnath as the Moral Centre of the Message
Khattar's choice to frame his closing prayer around Baba Kedarnath is deliberate and resonant. The ancient Shiva temple, perched above 3,500 metres in the Garhwal Himalayas, is not merely a religious landmark — it is the emotional centrepiece of Uttarakhand's identity as Devbhoomi. For BJP leaders in particular, Kedarnath carries additional political weight, having been the site of sustained reconstruction and infrastructure investment by the central government over the past decade.
Union ministers routinely mark state formation anniversaries with public messages that knit regional pride to the central government's development narrative. Khattar's post follows that pattern — but the specific invocation of a sacred site, rather than a development metric, keeps the register warm and ceremonial rather than political.
Uttarakhand's economy leans heavily on pilgrimage tourism and hydropower, two sectors that sit squarely within the portfolios Khattar oversees at the Centre. The 'progress and prosperity' he wishes for the state is not, in that sense, an abstract aspiration.
Point of View
Which has become a signature Modi-era project. For a minister whose portfolios include power and urban affairs, blessing Uttarakhand's 'progress' is as much a policy statement as a cultural one — the state's hydropower potential and smart-city ambitions are live central-government concerns. Union ministers sending such messages on state anniversaries is routine, but the specificity of citing Dhami by name reinforces the Centre's public alignment with the Uttarakhand government.
NationPress
9 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Uttarakhand founded as a state?
Uttarakhand was established on 9 November 2000 , when it was carved out of Uttar Pradesh to meet longstanding demands from the hill communities of the region.
Why is Uttarakhand called Devbhoomi?
Uttarakhand is called Devbhoomi — meaning 'Land of Gods' — because it is home to dozens of major Hindu pilgrimage sites, including Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri , collectively known as the Char Dham.
What did Manohar Lal Khattar say about Uttarakhand?
Khattar wished the people of Uttarakhand on their Statehood Day, described the state as a Devbhoomi of rich cultural heritage, and prayed to Baba Kedarnath for its progress under PM Modi and CM Dhami's leadership.
Who is the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand?
Pushkar Singh Dhami is the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, credited by Khattar in his post with providing 'able leadership' for the state's development.
What is Manohar Lal Khattar's current role?
Manohar Lal Khattar is currently the Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs. He is a senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister of Haryana.
