The three-day Uttarakhand Aadi Rangotsav opened in Khatima on October 4, bringing tribal cultural performances, crafts and products to the Naveen Mandi venue. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the festival with Union ministers Jual Oram and Kiren Rijiju present. The State Tribal Research Institute organised the October 4–6 event.
ANI reported participation by tribal artists, craftspeople and producers from more than 15 states. The festival features traditional dress, dance, music, handicrafts and food. The state government’s account also described performances by groups from Uttarakhand and several other states.
At the event, Tribal Affairs Minister Oram announced that the Union government would spend approximately ₹10 crore on expansion and facilities at Khatima’s Eklavya Model Residential School, according to the state release. He said the tender for a hostel estimated to cost about ₹4 crore had been completed and construction would begin soon. The release did not give a completion date.
Dhami also asked the Union ministers to establish an Eklavya school in the Pithoragarh region. No approval for that request was announced in the reports reviewed. Jagran’s correspondent reported that Rijiju promised to pursue the commitments made from the stage at the Union level.