Kashipur (Uttarakhand) [India], March 30 : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday attended the Chaiti Mela and Bhajan Sandhya programme in Kashipur, where he greeted the public and highlighted the cultural and religious importance of the event.
Addressing the gathering, Dhami said the mela represents the state's rich faith, traditions and heritage.
"This Mela is not just an event but a celebration of our faith, cultural heritage and tradition. A person who has the blessings of Goddess Bala Sundari can come to this mela," he said, according to a release.
He further noted that the event, which features numerous stalls and activities, would contribute to promoting local business and tourism while aiding development in the region.
"I believe that this event would promote business and tourism. There will also be development in this area. Our state is developing at a faster rate under the guidance of PM Modi," he added.
During his two-day Kumaon tour, the Chief Minister received a warm welcome from BJP workers and residents at multiple locations. He travelled from Kashipur to Khatima by road, where people gathered in large numbers along the route to greet him.
Residents in areas including Kashipur, Bazpur, Gadarpur, Rudrapur, Dineshpur, Kichha and Sitarganj welcomed the Chief Minister with garlands and flower showers, while in some places, bulldozers were used symbolically to express support and enthusiasm.
Earlier in the day, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami conferred Jiten Thakur with the state's highest literary award, the 'Uttarakhand Sahitya Bhushan Samman'.According to a press release, the Uttarakhand Sahitya Gaurav Samman Ceremony, 2025, was organised by the Uttarakhand Bhasha Sansthan at Mukhya Sevak Sadan, the Chief Minister's residence.
On this occasion, Buddhinath Mishra, Shyam Singh Kutaula, Pritam Singh, Kesar Singh Rai, and Atae Sabir Afzal Manglori were also conferred with the 'Uttarakhand Lifetime Excellence in Literary Creation Award'.Additionally, the Chief Minister honoured distinguished writers across various literary fields, as well as winners of the 'Yuva Kalamkar Competition'. Under different categories, Prof Diva Bhatt received the Sahitya Nari Vandan Samman, Prof Dinesh Chamola was recognised for excellence in children's literature, and Bhupendra Bisht, Sudha Jugran, and Sheeshpal Gusain were awarded under the Uttarakhand Original Writing Award category.
Tara Pathak, Hemant Singh Bisht, and Gajendra Nautiyal were conferred for excellence in Kumaoni and Garhwali literature.
As per the release, in his address, Chief Minister Dhami expressed pride in having the opportunity to honour the state's eminent literary figures. He said that Jiten Thakur is not only an inspiration for Uttarakhand but for the entire Hindi literary world.