Grand Conclusion of Three-Day Spring Festival at Lok Bhavan
IIT Roorkee wins the Running Trophy by securing the highest number of awards in the Flower Exhibition Competition
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 1 Mar: The three-day Spring Festival at Lok Bhavan, Dehradun concluded on Sunday. Over the course of the festival, a large number of visitors enjoyed the natural beauty of flowers and various other programs. In Vasantotsav-2026, this year’s Rolling Trophy (Running Trophy) was awarded to Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee.
This year, IIT Roorkee secured first place by winning awards in 13 categories, while Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) secured second place with awards in 4 categories. A total of 161 prizes were distributed across 15 categories and 54 sub-categories. Gurmit Singh (Retd. Lieutenant General) and Pushkar Singh Dhami presented awards to winners in flower exhibition competitions, rangoli, children’s painting competition, photography competition, and other categories.
For the first time, the Governor’s Award was introduced in Vasantotsav-2026. Under this initiative, outstanding farmers, women farmers, and young farmers innovating through startups were honored.
In the category of Outstanding Farmers: Deepak Gadiya (Bageshwar district) – First, Kapil Sharma (Rudraprayag district) – Second, Shubham Singh, and (Pithoragarh district) – Third.
In the category of Outstanding Women Farmers: Radha Rana (Champawat district) – First, Kavita Mehra (Almora district) – Second, and Shanti Juyal (Pauri Garhwal district) – Third.
In the category of Innovative Young Farmers through Startups: Devendra Singh Chauhan (Tehri district) – First, Pankaj Mehta (Nainital district) – Second, and Ujjwal Saini (Haridwar district) – Third.
The melodious performances by the pipe bands of the Indian Military Academy (IMA) and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) added grandeur to the closing ceremony. The audience thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated the performances.
On the occasion, the Governor stated that the happiness and satisfaction visible on the faces of approximately 350,000 visitors over the three days was the greatest success of the event. He emphasized that the core spirit of Vasantotsav-2026 was to spread positivity, balance, and creativity through flowers. Based on research, the stalls set up by the Horticulture Department demonstrated how flowers can contribute to health, mental balance, and joy in human life.
Highlighting innovation as the key mantra towards “Developed India 2047,” the Governor noted that each stall and presentation at the festival reflected new ideas and creativity. He appreciated the “Rhythmic Yoga,” yoga presentations by specially-abled children, Wushu demonstrations, and cultural programs. He also praised the stalls set up by women’s self-help groups, stating that the women of Uttarakhand are playing an inspiring role in advancing self-reliance.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said in his address that the Spring Festival is not merely a cultural event, but a celebration of Uttarakhand’s natural resources, agricultural strength, and emerging green economy. He noted that the spring season conveys positive energy and spiritual joy through nature’s beauty. The vibrant colors and fragrance of flowers displayed at Lok Bhavan symbolize the state’s rich biodiversity. The Chief Minister also appreciated the Governor’s discipline, patriotism, and visionary leadership.
He further emphasized that by integrating traditional knowledge with modern innovation, local products can gain distinct recognition in national and international markets. He praised the efforts of self-help groups, women, and youth, calling them strong steps toward a self-reliant Uttarakhand.
The Chief Minister stated that currently, commercial flower cultivation is being carried out in approximately 656 hectares across the state, providing a strong source of higher income at lower cost. The state government is promoting farmers through a comprehensive floriculture policy, exemption in mandi fees, marketing facilities, and beekeeping subsidies. He added that to increase farmers’ income, policies such as the new Apple Policy, Kiwi Policy, State Millet Mission, and Dragon Fruit Policy have been implemented with an investment of approximately ₹1,200 crore. Under these schemes, up to 80% subsidy is being provided to promote horticulture.
The event was attended by Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ganesh Joshi, MLA Khajan Das, MLA Savita Kapoor, First Lady Gurmeet Kaur, Geeta Dhami, Secretary to the Governor Ravinath Raman, Legal Advisor Kaushal Kishore Shukla, Horticulture Secretary SN Pandey, Additional Secretary to the Governor Reena Joshi, Director of Horticulture SL Semwal, and many other dignitaries.
