Uttarakhand Foundation Day

Uttarakhand State Foundation Day (also called Uttarakhand Sthapna Divas) is celebrated every year on 9th November. On this day in 2000, following India’s independence, the Himalayan districts of the then-United Provinces began to receive significant attention in regional literature.

Uttarakhand Day Other name:	Uttarakhand
Other name:	Uttarakhand Foundation Day
Type	State Formation Day
Date:	November 9, 2000
Historical context:	The state was created after a long movement for statehood, with the region being carved out of Uttar Pradesh.

In 1949, the princely state of Tehri Garhwal joined the Indian Union. With the adoption of the Indian Constitution in 1950, the United Provinces was renamed Uttar Pradesh and became a state of India. Even decades after independence, the Uttar Pradesh government failed to fulfill the expectations of addressing the interests of the people in the Himalayan region. Unemployment, poverty, lack of adequate infrastructure, general underdevelopment, and the migration of indigenous (Pahari-speaking) people in search of better opportunities eventually led to popular demand for the creation of a separate hill state.

A high shot of a small town near a blue body of water surrounded by beautiful mountains.

Table of Contents

Establishment of the state and change of name –

Following the formation of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal, aimed at achieving statehood, protests gained momentum and morphed into a widespread statehood movement across the region in the 1990s. The movement turned violent on October 2, 1994, when Uttar Pradesh police opened fire on a crowd of protesters in Muzaffarnagar, killing several people.

Uttarakhand, a beautiful mountain state nestled in the lap of the Himalayas, is celebrating its silver jubilee, or 25 years, on November 9, 2025. The state was formed on November 9, 2000, after a long struggle, agitation, and immense sacrifices. Initially named “Uttaranchal,” the state was renamed “Uttarakhand” in 2007, as the name best suited the region’s historical and cultural identity.

Establishment of the State and Name Change –

movement inThe formation of Uttarakhand was the result of a long movement in which the socio-cultural consciousness of the 1990s, unemployment, lack of education and health, and regional alienation played a key role. The 1994 firing incidents in Mussoorie, Khatima, and Rampur Tiraha became dark chapters in the statehood movement. It was the result of these sacrifices that Uttarakhand became India’s 27th state on November 9, 2000. After becoming a state, pressure from various public organizations and the general public led to the name of Uttaranchal being changed to “Uttarakhand,” which became a symbol of pride, identity, and self-respect for every Uttarakhandi.

Economic Growth: Uttarakhand’s GDP has increased from Rs 14,500 crore in 2000 to around Rs 3.78 lakh crore in 2025, and the per capita income is around Rs 2.74 lakh. Significant progress is visible in industrialization, tourism, road networks, MSMEs, digital governance, and women’s self-employment. However, if we look at the reality of villages, this light of development is mainly limited to cities and main roads. Even today, basic facilities like roads, hospitals, water, and markets are lacking in most hilly villages. Farmers have to struggle hard for markets, children for good education, youth for local employment, and patients for primary treatment.

Uttarakhand Foundation Day

Uttarakhand State Foundation Day (also called Uttarakhand Sthapna Divas) is celebrated every year on 9th November. On this day in 2000, following India’s independence, the [Read More…]

November 7, 2025