Expatriate Uttarakhandis voice pride in roots, pledge support towards development
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 13 Nov: The third Pravasi Uttarakhandi Sammelan, held in Dehradun, today, witnessed the participation of 282 pravasi Uttarakhandis from across the country, with 91 from Delhi, 9 from Maharashtra, 71 from Haryana, 15 from Rajasthan, 35 from Punjab, 32 from Uttar Pradesh, 22 from Chandigarh, 2 from Gujarat, 2 from Karnataka, 1 from Jammu and Kashmir, 1 from Madhya Pradesh and 1 from Tamil Nadu. In addition, 19 persons who have already returned to Uttarakhand under reverse migration also participated in the convention, bringing the total number of participants to 301. The State Government expects the number of pravasis joining the sammelans to be organised in the coming years to rise further.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Sudhansh Pant, Secretary in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, said that the convention is not merely a means of emotional bonding but also an opportunity to accelerate the development of the State. He noted that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Uttarakhand had witnessed rapid development over the past few years. Citing his own example, Pant said that owing to the efforts of Chief Minister Dhami, a road had reached his ancestral village in Pithoragarh three years ago. As a result, he is now getting his 120-year-old ancestral house repaired, for which he expressed special gratitude to the CM. He said that the land of one’s birth was akin to heaven for everyone, and therefore he would dedicate his time, after retirement, to his janmabhoomi.
Prasar Bharati Chairman and acclaimed lyricist Prasoon Joshi said that, while the new generation of Uttarakhand might not have as firm a grasp over their dialect as the earlier generations, they possessed far greater confidence about their identity than the previous one. He recalled that, earlier, people from Uttarakhand would not reveal their identity unless it became necessary. He said that the Uttarakhand Government deserved appreciation for instilling this confidence among the youth. On the occasion, he presented the development journey of Uttarakhand through his poem, “Yeh Uttarakhand ka uday hai, uday mein ek lay hai, yeh mastak garv ka hai, yahan na koi bhay hai, yeh Uttarakhand ka uday hai…”.
Deputy Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly and MLA Mohan Singh Bisht said that though one’s karmabhoomi may be anywhere, everyone took pride in the fact that Uttarakhand is their janmabhoomi. He said that the people of Uttarakhand have made a name for themselves in the country and abroad on the strength of their talent. He added that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Uttarakhand is developing rapidly.
Actor Himanshi Shivpuri also participated and speaking to the media, she said that she had adopted her native village three years ago on the call of the CM and that she feels that by doing so, she is only fulfilling her duty towards her native land. Actor Chitranshi Rawat said that the people of the hills possess as much resilience as they do simplicity. She said that a person from the hills, wherever he might live in the world, always preserves the hills within him. She added that there is no dearth of talent among the youth of the hills.
