Badrinath, Sept 2026 : The two-day Devbhoomi Cultural Festival 2026, organised under Operation Sadbhavana by the Indian Army in collaboration with the Chamoli district administration, concluded at the Tourist Arrival Plaza in Badrinath, celebrating Uttarakhand’s rich folk traditions and strengthening ties between the armed forces and local communities.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who attended the event as the chief guest, felicitated the winners and runners-up of various cultural competitions and presented awards. Earlier, he visited Bamni village to participate in the Nanda Ashtami celebrations, where he extended greetings and emphasised the need to preserve and promote Uttarakhand’s folk traditions and cultural heritage.
At the festival venue, Dhami visited stalls showcasing local products, women’s self-help groups, handicrafts, traditional cuisine and other exhibits. He interacted with members of self-help groups, enquiring about their products and traditional hill cuisine, and appreciated their efforts to expand markets for locally produced goods. He said linking local products with tourism could create new livelihood and self-employment opportunities in border areas.
The Chief Minister also visited a military exhibition organised by the Indian Army, where he was briefed on modern weapons and military equipment. He said such exhibitions help familiarise young people with the functioning of the Indian Army and inspire them towards patriotism and service to the nation.
Addressing the gathering, Dhami welcomed Army personnel, local residents, youth, students, artists and devotees to the cultural festival organised in the sacred land of Lord Badrinath. He said the soul of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand resides in its folk culture, with folk dances, songs, traditions and customs forming an important part of the state’s identity.
He said cultural festivals such as these help connect the younger generation with their language, culture and roots, while also inspiring youth from border areas to join the Indian Army.
Dhami said the state government was following the principle of “Development as well as Heritage”, focusing on both development and preservation of Uttarakhand’s cultural heritage. He said work on the Badrinath Dham Master Plan was progressing rapidly under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Despite challenging geographical conditions and weather, development projects are being implemented on schedule to improve facilities for pilgrims, he said.
The Chief Minister also highlighted efforts to strengthen infrastructure and livelihood opportunities in border areas under the Vibrant Villages Programme. He said places such as Mana, Niti and Jadung are being connected with tourism and employment opportunities to promote local livelihoods and self-employment. Creating employment opportunities in border areas and preventing migration from these regions remain among the government's priorities, he added.
Dhami highlighted several initiatives aimed at generating livelihood opportunities, including the Millet Mission, Apple Mission, homestays, agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, dairy production, beekeeping, cultivation of aromatic plants and spices, winter and adventure tourism, as well as the “Wedding in Uttarakhand” campaign.
He noted that more than 3.10 lakh women in Uttarakhand have become Lakhpati Didis, and praised women’s self-help groups for promoting self-reliance through local products, traditional cuisine and handicrafts.
The Chief Minister described the festival as an important platform for strengthening cooperation and coordination between the Indian Army and local communities. He also appreciated the traditional cultural performance presented by villagers from Mana.
Dhami said Uttarakhand is rapidly expanding investment and employment opportunities in sectors such as tourism, AYUSH, wellness, information technology and solar energy. He also highlighted the state’s position in the “Leaders” category of the Startup India ranking and its first-place position nationally in the NITI Aayog SDG Index.
Emphasising the need to keep Uttarakhand’s cultural roots at the centre of development, Dhami said preserving folk languages, songs, dances, traditional attire, fairs and festivals is a collective responsibility.
The Chief Minister congratulated the Indian Army, Chamoli district administration and all organisers for the successful completion of the festival and prayed to Lord Badrinath for the well-being and prosperity of all.
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Command, Lieutenant General Anindya Sengupta, and General Officer Commanding, Northern Area, Lieutenant General D.G. Mishra, were also present at the event.
