Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 1 Sep: Governor of Uttarakhand, Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd), today held a courtesy meeting with the High Commissioners of India to three countries at Lok Bhavan. High Commissioner of India to Zambia, Alok Ranjan Jha; High Commissioner of India to Lithuania, Devesh Uttam; and High Commissioner of India to Jamaica, Mayank Joshi, met the Governor.
During the meeting, the High Commissioners briefed the Governor about the activities and functioning of Indian diplomatic missions in their respective countries. The Governor, in turn, apprised them of Uttarakhand’s unique cultural, spiritual and natural heritage, as well as the opportunities available in the state in the fields of tourism, healthcare and wellness.
Lt Gen Singh said that Uttarakhand, with its rich spiritual and cultural heritage and traditions of yoga and ayurveda, has immense potential to emerge as a major tourism destination. He requested the three High Commissioners to support the promotion and dissemination of Uttarakhand’s spiritual and wellness tourism potential, yoga, ayurveda, millets, local and traditional products, and homestay culture in their respective countries.
He said that such initiatives would help connect Uttarakhand’s local products and rural economy with international markets and create new opportunities for the state’s youth and self-help groups.
The Governor also emphasised the possibilities of promoting local and traditional products, as well as millet-based products prepared by women’s self-help groups, in the respective countries. He said that Uttarakhand’s homestays, local cuisine, handicrafts and experiences associated with rural life could become major attractions for foreign tourists.
The Governor particularly urged the visiting High Commissioners to take initiatives to provide girls with opportunities for international exposure and learning. He said that organising study tours and exposure visits for students from Uttarakhand to the respective countries would give them an opportunity to understand their education systems, culture, technology and working practices. This would also promote youth and academic exchanges between the countries.
