Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 6 Nov: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami honoured 15 distinguished personalities with the Uttarakhand Gaurav Samman Award-2026 and also felicitated six children with the first Chief Minister’s State Bravery Award at the Uttarakhand State Foundation Day event held at Parade Ground here today. The awards were presented in recognition of outstanding contributions to public life, healthcare, entrepreneurship, education, culture, sports, environmental conservation and social service, as well as exceptional acts of courage and presence of mind displayed by children in challenging circumstances.
Among those honoured with the Uttarakhand Gaurav Samman Award was former Chief Minister Maj Gen BC Khanduri, who was conferred the award posthumously for his significant contribution to public life and governance. In the field of healthcare, the award was presented to Dr Jeevan Singh Titiyal, while entrepreneur Manmohan Bhardwaj was recognised for his contribution to entrepreneurship. Veteran actress Himani Shivpuri was honoured for her contribution to the film industry, Hema Negi Karasi for her contribution to traditional Jagar folk singing, and Dr Girish Ranjan Tiwari for his distinguished work in education and journalism.
In the social sector, Anita Thapliyal Sharma and Kashmir Singh were felicitated for their notable contributions, while noted environmentalist Suresh Bhai was honoured for his work in environmental conservation. Folk singer Reshma Shah was also recognised for her contribution to preserving and promoting Uttarakhand’s musical traditions.
The award ceremony also recognised the achievements of sportspersons who have brought laurels to the state at national and international levels. Cricketer Ekta Bisht, hockey player Vandana Katariya, athlete Ankita Dhyani, athlete Nikita Chand and Kapil Pokharia were among those honoured with the Uttarakhand Gaurav Samman Award-2026.
Following the felicitation of the awardees, Amit Shah and Dhami presented the first Chief Minister’s State Bravery Awards to six children who had displayed extraordinary courage, selflessness and quick thinking. Each awardee received a medal, a citation and a cash award of Rs 51,000, which was transferred directly to their bank accounts.
Among the recipients were Divya, Deepika and Aarav Singh of Chamoli, who had displayed remarkable courage during a bear attack inside a school campus. Maya of Champawat was honoured for rescuing a girl trapped in a swollen river despite sustaining injuries herself. Aradhya of Dehradun was recognised for alerting 17 family members during a cloudburst-like situation and helping save a three-year-old child from strong water currents. Shweta of Tehri Garhwal was honoured for her timely intervention in saving the life of an elderly man from an oncoming vehicle.
The awards were presented as part of the state government’s efforts to recognise excellence, public service and acts of bravery, while inspiring future generations to contribute positively to society and the development of Uttarakhand.
