Modi and Yogi Greet Uttarakhand as the Hill State Marks 26 Years of Statehood

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath greet each other with folded hands. Both extended greetings to the people of Uttarakhand on the state’s 26th Foundation Day. (File photo)

The Prime Minister salutes the people behind Uttarakhand’s progress, while Yogi Adityanath celebrates its folk traditions and wishes the state prosperity under Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.

Key Highlights

• Uttarakhand completed 26 years of statehood on Monday, 9 November 2026. It was carved out of Uttar Pradesh on 9 November 2000, becoming India’s 27th state.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the state’s mountain landscapes, sacred rivers and Char Dham pilgrimage sites, and credited its people for its progress.
• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath praised Uttarakhand’s folk culture and tradition of courage, and acknowledged Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s leadership.
• Governor Dhal Singh Bisen paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the statehood movement and recognised the role of women and other campaigners

Dehradun, Monday, 9 November 2026 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extended greetings to the people of Uttarakhand on Monday as the state marked 26 years since its formation. Their messages looked at the occasion from two perspectives. Modi credited the people of Uttarakhand for driving its development, while Adityanath highlighted the folk culture, spiritual heritage and tradition of courage that have shaped the hill state’s identity.

Modi puts Uttarakhand’s people at the centre of its progress

In his message on X, Modi described Devbhoomi Uttarakhand as a land of mountain landscapes, sacred rivers and a rich spiritual heritage. He singled out the Char Dham, a pilgrimage circuit that draws visitors to the state’s Himalayan shrines. He also linked the state’s progress across sectors to the active participation of its residents and wished them happiness, peace and prosperity.

That emphasis on residents gave the message a wider focus than the places for which Uttarakhand is best known. The mountains, rivers and shrines are familiar symbols of the state. On Foundation Day, the Prime Minister also drew attention to the people whose work shapes life there and whose participation, he said, would help sustain its development.

Yogi celebrates folk heritage and credits Dhami’s leadership

Adityanath’s greeting came from the state of which Uttarakhand was once a part. In his post on X, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister spoke of Uttarakhand’s natural beauty, folk culture and spiritual traditions, and said its legacy of courage continued to enrich India’s cultural life. He credited Modi’s guidance and Dhami’s leadership for the state’s progress.

Adityanath ended his message with a prayer at the heart of which was a wish for good governance. “I pray to Baba Kedar Nath for Uttarakhand to continue advancing on the path of prosperity and good governance,” he said. a

Remembering the people who fought for statehood

The anniversary also brought attention back to the campaign that preceded the creation of the state. Uttarakhand, initially known as Uttaranchal, came into existence on 9 November 2000. For the people who had campaigned for a separate state, that date marked the culmination of years of organising and public mobilisation.

In his message on the eve of Foundation Day, Governor Dhal Singh Bisen remembered those who lost their lives in the movement and acknowledged the contribution of women and other statehood campaigners. He also extended his greetings to people from Uttarakhand living elsewhere in India and abroad, recognising that the anniversary is observed well beyond the state’s borders.

Twenty-six years on, the date still carries the memory of the people who pressed for a state of their own. Their place in the anniversary sits alongside the aspirations expressed in Monday’s greetings for the people who will shape Uttarakhand’s next chapte