By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR:Under the patronage of former Union Education Minister and former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Hon’ble Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘ Nishank ‘, the three-day “Sparsh Himalaya Mahotsav – 2025” held at the World’s First Writer’s Village (Thano , Dehradun) began with the grandeur and cultural splendor of India.
The inauguration of the Mahotsav was centered on the theme “Healthy, Prosperous and Young Uttarakhand – 2025” symbolizing the progress, balanced development and new direction of youth energy of the state.
On this occasion , emphasis was laid on building a strong state and nation through Ayurveda , Yoga , cleanliness , education , innovation and self-employment . Junapithadhiswar Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Avdheshananda Giri Maharaj , Acharya Moolkrishna Ji (Patanjali Yoga Peetha) , Hon. Shri Prithviraj Singh Roopna (Former President , Mauritius) , Prof. Anil Sahasrabudhe (Chairman NAAC and NBA), Prof. Somveer (MLA , Bali , Indonesia) , Padma Bhushan Dr. Anil Joshi , Padma Shri Kailash Kher , Nishank Ji’s two daughters Dr. Aarushi Nishank and Vidushi Nishank and many other eminent personalities from India and abroad were present as guests on the stage. Hon. Shri Prithviraj Singh Roopna and Union Minister Shri Kiren Rijiju jointly unveiled the statue of Lord Dhanvantari.
The moment was a symbol of devotion and respect for Ayurveda, Yoga and the Indian medical tradition. The Chief Guest of the event , Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju said in his speech , “ The Himalayas are not just mountains , but a symbol of India’s strength , spirituality and national identity.” He said that many forces within and outside the country are trying to break the unity of India , but India’s culture and Constitution have kept us stable and united.
The patron of the event, Dr. Ramesh Pokhariyal ‘ Nishank ‘ , said that the event is a powerful step towards realizing the 25th anniversary of the formation of the state of Uttarakhand and the dream of former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee of a “Writers’ Village”. He said that the aim of Writers’ Village is to develop villages as centres of creativity, culture and education , where words are the inspiration for both culture and creativity. Under the leadership of Vidushi Nishank, Director of Writers’ Village, the event became a vibrant confluence of literature , culture and art.
The presence of writers, artists , thinkers and yoga teachers from different states and countries illuminated the land of Uttarakhand with intellectual energy. Delegates from about 65 countries participated , giving the event a truly global appeal.
The first day of the “Sparsha Himalaya Mahotsav” concluded with a celebration of India’s cultural consciousness , the spirit of the Himalayas and the symbol of global unity. Dr. Jayant Kar Sharma, the only delegate from Odisha, participated in the event and highlighted the theme of “National Education Policy 2020 and Developed India” in a special session on the second day .
The session was chaired by Shri Atul Kothari, Member, National Education Policy Committee, while former Education Minister Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘ Nishank ‘ , former Chairman of UGC and NAAC and current Chancellor of TISS Prof. Ayanand Pal Singh were the prominent dignitaries present . The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, was present at the inauguration ceremony of the festival .
