Kavinder Gupta Sworn in as Governor of Himachal Pradesh at Lok Bhavan.
Shimla:
Kavinder Gupta was sworn in as the Governor of Himachal Pradesh in a simple yet dignified ceremony held at Lok Bhavan on Tuesday. The oath of office and secrecy was administered by the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia. Gupta took the oath in Hindi.
The ceremony was attended by several dignitaries including the Governor of Haryana, Prof. Ashim Kumar Ghosh, who was present along with his wife Mitra Ghosh. Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, and Lady Governor Bindu Gupta were also present on the occasion.
In a first for Lok Bhavan, the ceremony commenced with the singing of Vande Mataram, followed by the National Anthem. After the oath-taking ceremony concluded, Vande Mataram was sung once again. The newly sworn-in Governor was also presented with an impressive Guard of Honour.
Earlier, the Chief Secretary of the State, Sanjay Gupta, read out the warrant of appointment issued by the President of India. Subsequently, Secretary to the Governor C.P. Verma obtained the Governor’s signature on the charge certificate, formally completing the assumption of office.
A large number of political leaders and senior officials attended the ceremony. Among those present were Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, Speaker of the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Kuldeep Singh Pathania, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dhani Ram Shandil, Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan, Education Minister Rohit Thakur and Ayush Minister Yadvinder Goma.
Political Advisor to the Chief Minister Sunil Sharma, Members of the Legislative Assembly, Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission Capt. Rameshwar Singh Thakur, Director General of Police Ashok Tiwari, along with chairpersons and members of various commissions, boards and corporations, Vice-Chancellors of universities, and senior civil and police officers were also present.
Earlier in the morning, Governor Gupta performed a traditional pooja with his family members before proceeding to Lok Bhavan for the ceremony.
Later, interacting with media persons, the Governor expressed gratitude to the President of India for appointing him to the constitutional office. He said that he would discharge his duties strictly in accordance with the Constitution and maintain close coordination with the State Government.
“The office of the Governor is a constitutional responsibility. The Governor does not belong to any political party and works for the overall development of the State and society,” he said.
Gupta stated that he would continue the initiatives started by previous Governors and work closely with the Chief Minister and the State Government to complete them on priority. He noted that Himachal Pradesh is a leading state in the field of education and emphasised the need to further improve the quality of education in the State.
Referring to his earlier experience as the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, he said that the geographical conditions of Himachal Pradesh are similar to those of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. “During my tenure in Ladakh, I travelled more than 10,000 kilometres within seven months. I am familiar with the challenges of hilly regions,” he said, adding that the hospitality of the people of Himachal Pradesh had deeply impressed him.
Outlining his priorities, the Governor said he would focus on environmental protection, particularly increasing the State’s green cover, preserving cultural heritage and strengthening tourism with special emphasis on religious tourism. He also stressed the importance of quality education, skill development and effective implementation of the National Education Policy by integrating Indian values with modern education.
He further said that special attention would be given to tribal development, promotion of natural farming, youth welfare and strengthening the ongoing campaign against drug abuse. The Governor also emphasised the need for effective implementation of central schemes to improve infrastructure and connectivity in remote areas of the State.
Highlighting youth engagement, Gupta said that educational initiatives, value-based learning and counselling would be strengthened to make the campaign for a drug-free Himachal more effective. He added that sports initiatives such as the Khelo India could be linked with such efforts to positively engage young people.
The Governor also stressed the importance of development in border areas adjoining China and said that schemes such as the Vibrant Village Programme would be promoted. He further highlighted the need to intensify efforts to achieve the goal of tuberculosis elimination in the State.
Expressing confidence in the collective efforts of the State Government, the ruling and opposition parties, and social and voluntary organisations, the Governor said that together they would work to take the hill State of Himachal Pradesh to new heights of inclusive and sustainable development.
