Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday attended the Gyan Ganga Samman Samaroh and scholarship distribution programme organised by the Kusum Kanta Foundation. He honoured teachers and presented scholarships to meritorious students.
Dhami said the event was more than a ceremony for honours and scholarships. He said supporting a child’s education is not merely financial assistance, but participation in fulfilling the child’s aspirations.
Teachers’ role in shaping the nation
Paying tribute to late Kusum Kanta, Dhami recalled her dedication to music, literature and education. He said the Kusum Kanta Foundation has been working for six years in education, women’s empowerment, skill development, digital literacy and environmental protection.
The Chief Minister said Indian culture has always given teachers a high place. A teacher, he said, does not merely provide textbook knowledge, but develops vision, confidence and values in students and inspires them to progress. He urged teachers to combine quality education with संस्कार and life values so children grow into good human beings and responsible citizens.
Dhami said the National Education Policy, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, is making education more modern, practical and quality-oriented. Uttarakhand has been among the leading states in implementing the policy.
He urged parents to give children time, good values, discipline and positive guidance. He said schools and families must work together to shape the next generation.
Students urged to dream big and learn from setbacks
Dhami called upon students to dream big and work towards their goals with discipline, determination. The government, he added, stands with students and youth ahead.
He asked students to aim for careers in diverse fields such as teaching, science, medicine, engineering, sports, entrepreneurship and administration.
Former Chief Minister and former Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ remembered his late wife Kusum Kanta. He said education shapes both personality and national development.
Meanwhile, Dhami approved financial sanctions of ₹86 crore for development schemes and works across the state. The approvals include ₹49.64 lakh for a CC railing road from Bisabajed to village Vipul in Pithoragarh and ₹3.34 crore for beautification of several temples in Ranikhet. The approvals also include ₹97 lakh for a clock tower in the Athurwala Tehri displaced area of Doiwala and ₹80 crore as the second instalment for salary and allowances of Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar. In Chamoli’s Tharali area, funds were approved for beautification of Dhyo Singh Dham temple, Goriya Raja temple, Meengeshwar temple and Mahadev temple, besides the remaining work of a dharamshala near Maa Girija Bhawani temple.
