CM Pushkar Singh Dhami attended the ‘Uttarakhand Sahitya Gaurav Samman 2024’ function organized by Uttarakhand Bhasha Sansthan at I.R.E .T Auditorium, Survey Chowk, Dehradun and felicitated various litterateurs and linguists.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that this honour is a symbol of Uttarakhand’s literary tradition, creative consciousness and deep reverence for literature seekers. He said that this platform is dedicated to those great personalities who gave direction to the society through their writings and gave a new identity to the cultural heritage of Uttarakhand. On the occasion, the CM Pushkar Singh honoured Shri Subhash Pant with ‘Uttarakhand Sahitya Bhushan “award and appreciated his literary contribution.
CM Pushkar Singh said that the land of Uttarakhand has always been a centre of creativity, knowledge and culture, where ideas have inspired the society in every era. He mentioned that the natural beauty of the state has always been a source of inspiration for writers, poets and thinkers. This land gave birth to writers like Sumitranandan Pant and Shailesh Matiyani, who influenced the country and the world with their works.
CM Pushkar Singh said that literature is a mirror of society, which reflects its culture, values and ideas. Litterateurs are the guides of the society and from the freedom struggle to the creation of Uttarakhand, people associated with writing and creation have made a significant contribution. The state government is committed to the preservation of literature and culture and to encourage this, awards like Uttarakhand Sahitya Gaurav Samman, Sahitya Bhushan, Lifetime Achievement are being given.
CM Pushkar Singh said that the government is also giving grants to encourage writers. In the year 2023, an honorarium of Rs. 1 lakh was given to 10 outstanding litterateurs, which has been expanded in 2024 and 21 new literary awards have been announced including Uttarakhand Sahitya Bhushan Award. Also, it has been decided to provide financial assistance to 45 authors.
CM Pushkar Singh said that the State Government is making efforts to make Uttarakhand a hub of literary tourism. Two Sahitya Grams are being set up by Uttarakhand Bhasha Sansthan where residential facilities, library, seminar halls and study sites will be developed for the litterateurs.
CM Pushkar Singh reiterated the commitment to take forward the cultural and literary heritage in the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He said that the state government is making plans to preserve, compile and restore the scattered literature of Uttarakhand through Bhasha Sansthan and continuous efforts are also being made to preserve the local languages and dialects.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister honoured various eminent litterateurs under the ‘Uttarakhand Sahitya Gaurav Samman 2024’. He also inaugurated the book fair at the I.R.E .T campus and gave necessary instructions to the District Magistrate Dehradun for the construction of the building of the Language Institute. The event was attended by Cabinet Minister Shri Subodh Uniyal, MLA Shri Khajan Das, Director Smt Swati Bhadoria, former Vice Chancellor Prof. Sudharani Pandey and other dignitaries associated with the literary world.