Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday interacted with senior writers and litterateurs from across the state, saying literature has a vital role in preserving the state's cultural heritage, promoting social awareness and contributing to its overall development. He also said the government is working to strengthen the literary ecosystem through preservation initiatives, recognition for authors and plans to establish literary villages.
The interaction was held at Mukhya Sevak Sadan in the Chief Minister's Camp Office in Dehradun, where writers presented copies of their books to the Chief Minister. Dhami met the participants individually and discussed their literary contributions and ongoing work.
Literature key to preserving culture and shaping society: CM Dhami
The Chief Minister said writers are not only a reflection of society but also guide it towards positive change. He said the state government is committed to creating a stronger literary environment and encouraging authors across Uttarakhand.
Dhami said Devbhoomi Uttarakhand has been the land of sages, including Maharishi Ved Vyasa, and has produced literary figures who have enriched Indian literature. He stressed the need for collective efforts to cultivate reading and writing habits among younger generations.
He said the Uttarakhand Bhasha Sansthan is engaged in collecting, preserving and publishing old, scattered and unpublished literary works from the state. The government is also working on a plan to establish two literary villages to position Uttarakhand as a destination for literary tourism.
The Chief Minister highlighted measures introduced by the state government to recognise literary contributions, including the launch of the 'Uttarakhand Sahitya Gaurav Samman' in 2022 and the 'Deerghkaalin Sahitya Sevi Samman' in 2025.
Support for Rudraprayag book donation campaign
On the occasion of Harela, CM Dhami extended support to the Rudraprayag district administration's '1000 Book Donation Campaign', being conducted under the theme 'One Book, One Tree, One Bright Future' for the district's public library.
During the programme, the Chief Minister announced that the government would purchase 50 books written by the participating authors and donate them to the Rudraprayag public library.
CM Dhami said books are the foundation of knowledge, values and positive thinking and added that the initiative would encourage both the culture of book donation and reading habits among young people.
The event was attended by several writers, literary personalities, former senior officials and other dignitaries from across the state.
