The Chief Minister's Office of Uttarakhand announced on Friday, 12 June 2026 that President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, receiving a formal state welcome at Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun. Senior constitutional and administrative officials gathered at the airport to receive her.

Who Received the President

Governor Lieutenant General Gurmeet Singh (Retd.) and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami led the reception party at Jolly Grant Airport. They were joined by Cabinet Minister Madan Kaushik, Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan, and Director General of Police Deepam Seth, along with other senior officials of the state administration.

The CMO's post stated: 'Rashtrapatni Shrimati Draupadi Murmu ke Devbhoomi Uttarakhand aagaman par Jolly Grant Airport mein… unka swagat kiya' — ('On the arrival of President Smt. Droupadi Murmu in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, she was welcomed at Jolly Grant Airport by the Governor, Chief Minister, and senior officials.').

Context

President Droupadi Murmu has held the office of President of India since July 2022, becoming the first person from a Scheduled Tribe community and the second woman to occupy the highest constitutional post in the country. Uttarakhand, carved out as a separate state in 2000, is widely referred to as Devbhoomi — 'Land of the Gods' — owing to its dense concentration of Hindu pilgrimage sites including Char Dham.

Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun serves as the primary air gateway to the state and is the standard arrival point for VIP and VVIP visitors to Uttarakhand.

Policy Backdrop

Presidential visits to states are constitutionally grounded in the role of the President as the constitutional head of the Union, and such tours typically involve engagements with the state administration, reviews of development priorities, and interactions with civil society or institutions. For a Himalayan frontier state like Uttarakhand, issues of border infrastructure, disaster preparedness, and pilgrimage tourism management are perennially on the agenda during high-level central visits.

Governor Gurmeet Singh, a retired Lieutenant General who has served in the role since September 2021, represents the constitutional link between the state and the Union, making his presence at the airport reception a matter of protocol.

Stakeholders and Impact

The visit engages the full spectrum of Uttarakhand's constitutional and administrative machinery — from the Governor and Chief Minister to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police — reflecting the significance accorded to a presidential visit under standard state protocol. The state bureaucracy and security apparatus are mobilised for such occasions.

For the people of Uttarakhand, a presidential visit carries symbolic weight, reinforcing the state's standing within the federal structure and providing an opportunity for the state government to present its development agenda to the highest constitutional authority.

What's Next

The full itinerary of President Murmu's visit to Uttarakhand — including any official programmes, institutional engagements, or public events — is expected to be released by the Raj Bhavan and the Chief Minister's Office in the coming hours. Any policy announcements or directives emerging from the visit will be closely watched by both state administration and central government observers.