Hon’ble President Smt Droupadi Murmu, Hon’ble Lt Governor Brig (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) participate in 5th Foundation Day of UT Ladakh.

Leh, Oct 31, 2023: The 5th Foundation Day of UT Ladakh was celebrated with full fervour at Sindhu Sanskriti Kendra, where the Hon’ble President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu was present as the chief guest in the presence of the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd).
Congratulating the people of Ladakh on its 5th Foundation Day, the Hon’ble President expressed her happiness for being present as the chief guest during the celebration of the Foundation Day of Ladakh on her maiden visit to Ladakh. He also expressed her happiness to see multi-dimensional development taking place in Ladakh. She stated that the Government of India is committed to the development of Ladakh.
The Hon’ble President also remembered Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on the occasion of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or National Unity Day and remembered the brave soldiers from Ladakh who sacrificed their lives for national security and unity. She stated that her meeting with the Veer Naris of the martyred soldiers from Ladakh was a proud as well as an emotional moment for her. She commended both the Hill Councils for playing a pivotal role in the development of grassroots democracy in Ladakh. The Hon’ble President also highlighted the developments taking place in the fields of education, health, infrastructure development and skill development along with carbon-neutral initiatives in Ladakh.
The Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd), in his welcome address, called the celebration of the 5th Foundation Day of Ladakh as a moment of pride for the people of Ladakh due to the presence of the Hon’ble President of India as the chief guest. Congratulating the people of Ladakh on completing four years as a Union Territory, the HLG informed the Hon’ble President and the audience about the cultural troupes from Ladakh comprising students who performed at various Raj Bhawans/Raj Niwas in all states and UTs of India on the occasion of the Foundation Day of Ladakh, showcasing Ladakh’s rich culture and heritage.
The HLG appreciated the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, for his visionary initiatives and for his commitment towards the development of Ladakh. He highlighted various initiatives taken by the UT Administration along with both Hill Councils and PRIs for providing jobs through SSC & DSSRBs, upgradation of education and health facilities, providing skill development trainings to promote and encourage entrepreneurs to come up with their own start-ups, development of infrastructure projects in Ladakh, providing drinking water through piped water connections under Jal Jeevan Mission, connecting all remote areas of Ladakh through the installation of mobile towers, promoting rural tourism through Homestay Policy, promotion of tourism activities through various festivals, the establishment of India’s first Dark Sky Reserve at Hanley, the distribution of pashmina kid pens to reduce mortality of pashmina kids in the winter months, the aim to make Ladakh an organic region under the Mission Organic Development Initiative (MODI), the establishment of Milk Pasteurisation Plant in Ladakh and the plan to set up the same plant in Kargil, the framing of e-vehicle policy along with development of solar power/geothermal projects in Ladakh to promote Ladakh as a carbon-neutral region, etc.
Calling the UT Ladakh Foundation Day as a momentous occasion, the HLG sought blessings from the Hon’ble President to make Ladakh a Corruption, Delay-Free and one of the top UTs in the country in future.
Students from Druk Padma Karpo School, Shey and Islamia Public High School, Leh showcased cultural performances on the occasion.
The Hon’ble President of India also interacted with Veer Naris.
A video highlighting the achievement of Ladakh over the past four years was screened on the occasion.
Chairman, LAHDC Leh, Shri Tashi Gyalson; Chairman, LAHDC Kargil, Dr Mohd Jaffer Akhoon; Member of Parliament from Ladakh, Shri Jamyang Tsering Namgyal; Deputy Chairman, LAHDC Leh, Shri Tsering Angchuk; Advisor to HLG, Dr Pawan Kotwal; Executive Councillors and Councillors of LAHDC Leh; Administrative Secretaries; ADGP Ladakh, Dr SD Singh Jamwal; Chairpersons of BDC; PRI members; government officials, prominent citizens of Ladakh and heads of religious and political organisations were present during the UT Ladakh Foundation Day celebrations.
Earlier, the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) accorded a warm welcome to the Hon’ble President of India on her arrival in Leh at the Air Force Station, Leh in the presence of Chief of Army Staff, General Manoj Pande; Chairman, LAHDC Leh, Shri Tashi Gyalson; Chairman, LAHDC Kargil, Dr Mohd Jaffer Akhoon; Member of Parliament from Ladakh, Shri Jamyang Tsering Namgyal; Advisor to HLG, Dr Pawan Kotwal; GOC 14 Corps, Lt Gen Hashim Bali; ADGP Ladakh, Dr SD Singh Jamwal; Air Officer Commanding Air Commodore D S Handa; Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Shri Santosh Sukhadeve and SSP Leh, Smt PD Nitya.