Kavinder Gupta took oath as the 30th Governor of Himachal Pradesh in a simple ceremony at Lok Bhawan here yesterday. GS Sandhawalia, the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court, administered the oath of office to him.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, his ministers, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta and several other dignitaries were present on the occasion. Haryana Governor Ashim Kumar Ghosh, along with his wife Mitra Ghosh, also graced the occasion.
Talking to the mediapersons after taking the oath, Gupta said he would work in 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.
Listing out his priorities, the Governor said tourism, environment and education would be his key focus areas.
He said Himachal had a huge potential for tourism, including religious tourism and efforts would be made to strengthen it. He noted that Himachal was a leading state in education and he would focus on improving the quality of education further.
The Governor further said special attention would be given to tribal development, promotion of natural farming, youth welfare and strengthening the ongoing campaign against drug abuse.
“Efforts will also be made to ensure that Central schemes are effectively implemented to improve infrastructure and connectivity in remote areas of the state,” he said.
He emphasised on the importance of development in border areas adjoining China and said that schemes like the Vibrant Village Programme would be promoted. The Governor said he would strive to carry forward the initiatives started by previous Governors.
Drawing on his experience as Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Gupta noted the geographical and developmental parallels with Himachal Pradesh.
“During my brief tenure in Ladakh, I personally covered more than 10,000 km in seven months to reach the remotest corners and understand the aspirations of the people. I am no stranger to the challenges of hilly terrain,” he said.
Vande Matram played at oath ceremony
In a notable feature of the oath-taking ceremony, the national song Vande Mataram was played both at the beginning and at the conclusion of the event.
All six stanzas of the song were sung, followed by the national anthem, giving the ceremony a distinctly patriotic tone.
Officials at Lok Bhavan said this was the first time the complete national song had been performed during a Governor’s oath ceremony at the venue.
According to them, the decision was taken in line with directions issued earlier by the Central Government to promote wider awareness of the song.
Speaking to mediapersons after the ceremony, Governor Gupta said efforts would be made to encourage educational institutions to play and sing the full composition.
He acknowledged that many people, including himself, were familiar only with a small portion of the song. He added that when the entire song is played on official occasions, it will help people learn and remember it more easily.
