Rahul Gandhi Greets Uttarakhand on Its 26th Foundation Day
Synopsis
On Uttarakhand's 26th Foundation Day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi posted warm wishes on X, calling the hill state an invaluable heritage of India enriched with natural wealth, glorious culture and unparalleled beauty.
Key Takeaways
Rahul Gandhi posted Foundation Day greetings for Uttarakhand on 9 November 2026 .
He referred to the state as Devbhoomi and praised its natural wealth, culture and beauty.
Uttarakhand was formed on 9 November 2000 as India's 27th state , carved out of Uttar Pradesh.
Its creation was part of the same 2000 reorganisation that also produced Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh .
Foundation Day messages from national leaders are a regular feature of India's political calendar.
Twenty-six years after a hill state was carved out of Uttar Pradesh and handed its own identity, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi extended warm wishes to every resident of Uttarakhand on the state's Foundation Day, 9 November 2026.
Posting on X in Hindi, Gandhi called Uttarakhand 'Devbhoomi' — the Land of the Gods — and described it as 'enriched with natural wealth, glorious culture and unparalleled beauty,' adding that the state is 'an invaluable heritage of India.' The greeting was accompanied by an image shared alongside the message.
A state born on this date in 2000
Uttarakhand came into existence on 9 November 2000, when it was separated from Uttar Pradesh to become India's 27th state. The reorganisation that produced it was part of the same legislative moment that also gave India Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh — three new states created within days of one another, all hived off from larger parent states to better address the administrative and developmental needs of distinct geographies and communities.
The state's informal title, Devbhoomi, reflects the dense concentration of Hindu pilgrimage sites within its borders — from the Char Dham shrines to the headwaters of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers — making it a destination of deep religious significance for millions of Indians every year.
A routine tradition with real political texture
Foundation Day greetings from national leaders are a fixture of India's political calendar, and Uttarakhand Divas on 9 November reliably draws messages from figures across party lines. For Gandhi, whose Indian National Congress has historically had a significant organisational presence in the hill state, the post is both a customary gesture and a moment to reinforce connection with the state's electorate.
Point of View
Whose Congress party competes in Uttarakhand assembly elections, the post keeps the party visible in a state where it has historically contested closely with the BJP. The invocation of 'Devbhoomi' also subtly stakes a cultural claim on a religious identity the ruling party at the Centre has often sought to own exclusively.
NationPress
9 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Uttarakhand formed as a state?
Uttarakhand was formed on 9 November 2000, when it was carved out of Uttar Pradesh to become India's 27th state.
Why is Uttarakhand called Devbhoomi?
Uttarakhand is called Devbhoomi, meaning 'Land of the Gods,' because of the high concentration of Hindu pilgrimage sites within its borders, including the Char Dham shrines and the headwaters of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers.
What did Rahul Gandhi say on Uttarakhand Foundation Day 2026?
Rahul Gandhi extended warm wishes to all residents of Uttarakhand, describing the state as enriched with natural wealth, glorious culture and unparalleled beauty, and calling it an invaluable heritage of India.
Which other states were created alongside Uttarakhand in 2000?
Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh were also created as new states in November 2000 as part of the same legislative reorganisation that produced Uttarakhand.
