Jaspur (Uttarakhand) [India], March 30 : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday visited the residence of BJP Kashipur District President Manoj Pal in Jaspur to express his condolences on the demise of his mother.
The Chief Minister said that he prays to God to grant the departed soul a place at His divine feet and to give strength to the bereaved family to endure this immense loss.
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.
Congratulating all the awardees, he noted that through their creative works, they are enriching the cultural and literary heritage of the state and passing it on to future generations.
He also highlighted that the Uttarakhand Sahitya Gaurav Samman ceremony symbolises the state's literary tradition, creative consciousness, and respect for writers.
The Chief Minister stated that the sacred land of Uttarakhand has been a centre of knowledge, culture, and creativity for centuries, where the Himalayas, the Ganga, and natural beauty have inspired countless writers and poets. He mentioned renowned literary figures such as Sumitranandan Pant, Gaura Pant "Shivani," Mohan Upreti, and Shailesh Matiyani, who have brought glory to the region.
He emphasised that literature is a mirror of society, and writers are not just creators of words but also guiding forces for society. He added that literary figures have played a significant role in India's freedom movement and in the formation of the Uttarakhand state.