Latest news with #GovernmentofUttarakhand
News18
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Mirzapur Star Priyanshu Painyuli Makes Directorial Debut With Jaagar, Set In Uttarakhand
Actor Priyanshu Painyuli makes his directorial debut with Jaagar, a spiritually rooted film set in Uttarakhand and supported by the state government. Mirzapur and Extraction actor Priyanshu Painyuli is stepping into a new role—this time, behind the camera. The actor is making his directorial debut with Jaagar, a deeply personal and culturally rooted film set against the hauntingly beautiful backdrop of Uttarakhand, his home state. Known for his nuanced performances in films like Bhavesh Joshi Superhero, Painyuli has long harbored a passion for storytelling, nurtured during his filmmaking studies in Bangalore. With Jaagar, he returns to the mountains that shaped him, not just as an artist, but as a person. The story follows Deepti, a woman on the cusp of marriage and personal transformation. She travels to Uttarakhand to document the ancient Jaagar ritual—a spiritual practice in which local deities are invoked to possess chosen individuals. What begins as a professional endeavor soon becomes an intimate journey into faith, trauma, and awakening. As Deepti delves deeper into the ritual, she encounters Geeta, a local woman who finds strength through her divine possession, allowing her to transcend an abusive marriage. Their intertwined paths become a meditation on identity, resilience, and the healing force of tradition. Calling Jaagar his 'passion project," Priyanshu describes the film as a 'shared dream" realized through love and relentless effort. 'It's even more special because it marks the first production from our own company, a dream Vandana and I built together," he says, referencing his wife and co-collaborator Vandana Joshi, who also stars in the film. 'This isn't just my film; it belongs to everyone who poured their heart into it." The film also features actors Saarika Singh, Rishi Solanki, and local talent from Uttarakhand, along with Priyanshu himself. Hemant Kumar handles the cinematography, capturing the raw, spiritual beauty of the Garhwal region and its lesser-seen landscapes. Lending credibility and cultural weight to the project, the Government of Uttarakhand has extended full support to Jaagar, recognizing its role in bringing the state's spiritual heritage to a wider audience. For Priyanshu, this support is more than logistical—it's deeply emotional. 'Uttarakhand is where I come from—its mountains, stories, and traditions live within me. Jaagar is a film I've carried in my heart for years," he shares. 'I knew that if I ever made the move to directing, it had to be with something this personal and rooted. I'm excited, nervous, but mostly grateful to be able to tell this story." First Published:
Indian Express
01-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Adventure Tourism Meet 2025 2nd edition brings policymakers, leaders together in Dehradun
Dehradun hosted the second edition of the Adventure Tourism Meet (ATM) 2025 on June 27, bringing together policymakers, community leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators from the adventure travel sector. Organised by Indian Express Online Media, the event served as a platform to discuss the role of community-led tourism, new innovations, and sustainability in the Himalayas and beyond. On the evening before the main event, an Adventure Roundtable was held where key stakeholders in adventure tourism shared their experiences and best practices with each other and with local adventure tour operators. ATM 2025 was held in partnership with Uttarakhand Tourism (Presenting Partner) and powered by the Government of Uttarakhand and Meghalaya Tourism. The event began with a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony by Satpal Maharaj, Minister of Tourism, Government of Uttarakhand, along with other dignitaries. This was followed by a welcome note from Roshun Povaiah, Editor, In his keynote address, Satpal Maharaj emphasized the importance of balanced tourism that supports the local economy while preserving ecological integrity. He spoke about the initiatives taken by the government to promote adventure tourism in Uttarakhand and the focus on skilling youth in activities such as rafting and paragliding. 'Uttarakhand is committed to becoming a leader in sustainable and responsible adventure tourism,' he said. Abhishek Ruhela, IAS, Additional CEO, Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB), presented Uttarakhand's vision for adventure tourism and its role in empowering local communities. Banshidhar Tiwari, IAS, DG, DIPR, Government of Uttarakhand, also shared his perspective on the adventure tourism potential of the state. Philip F Tariang, Assistant Director – Tourism, Government of Meghalaya, spoke about the adventure tourism offerings in Meghalaya, including activities such as caving and scuba diving. The event featured a series of presentations. Tsewang Namgial, Founder, Snow Leopard Conservancy, spoke about Ladakh and the specific challenges of conducting adventure tourism in its fragile geography. Archana Singh, travel influencer and Director – Marketing, Onlyone Travel, shared her journey of leaving a corporate career and travelling to 107 countries, including destinations from the Arctic to Antarctica. Rakesh Pant, co-founder, Trek the Himalayas, who is based in Dehradun and has worked in the adventure tourism space for several decades, spoke about the future of adventure tourism in Uttarakhand. Two panel discussions were held during the event. The first panel, titled 'Voices of the Hills: Community-Led Adventure Tourism Models,' focused on local communities in the Indian Himalayas who are taking the lead in redefining adventure tourism. It featured real-world case studies, policy interventions, and responsible travel practices beyond conventional models. The panelists included Manisha Pande, Managing Director and co-founder of Village Ways, who has helped create sustainable, community-owned tourism experiences in Uttarakhand and other hill states; Lokesh Ohri, Founder of Been There Doon That and Humanities Himalaya, known for his work in heritage preservation and cultural storytelling; and Mani Mahesh Aurora, CEO and Co-Founder of Impact Investors and co-founder of The Goat Villages, whose work focuses on regenerative tourism, rural livelihoods, and tourism as a solution to urban migration. The second panel, titled 'New Directions and Innovations in Adventure Tourism,' explored how technology, luxury, and design are transforming adventure tourism in India. It included topics such as glamping, astro-tourism, drone-assisted mapping, and accreditation tools. Panelists included Sanjay Sharma, CEO and co-founder of Organic Hideaways Pvt Ltd and Founder of All Key Solutions & Services, who has built environmentally conscious glamping retreats; Prabhat Verma, Executive Director at Le Passage to India Journeys, who discussed evolving customer expectations and the role of global best practices; and Ramashish Ray, Founder of Starscapes Experiences, who spoke about astro-tourism and how stargazing, storytelling, and science can enhance travel in remote locations. Both panels were moderated by Povaiah. Ray also gave a special presentation on Uttarakhand's Nakshatra Sabha initiative, which was launched to promote astro-tourism in the state. He highlighted the need for a Dark Skies policy in India and noted that work is ongoing in this area. A folk performance showcased the cultural richness of Uttarakhand and added a regional touch to the event. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Mukesh Singh, Senior Vice President & Revenue Head, Indian Express Online Media. He emphasized the media group's commitment to promoting India's tourism potential through dialogue and collaboration. He also stressed the importance of building partnerships between local operators and national stakeholders to strengthen the adventure tourism ecosystem. The Adventure Tourism Meet 2025 reaffirmed Uttarakhand's position as a leading destination for adventure tourism and laid the foundation for inclusive and progressive tourism models across India.
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Kailash Mansarovar Yatra to begin on June 30 after three-year hiatus
The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is set to resume on June 30, 2025, after being suspended for three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The pilgrimage will follow the traditional route via Lipulekh Pass in Pithoragarh and will be jointly organised by the Uttarakhand Government and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). According to an official release, due to the efforts of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra will start from June 30 this year. The Yatra will be conducted by the Government of Uttarakhand and the Ministry of External Affairs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Adi Kailash Yatra has made the way of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra easier. The release noted that The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which is organized every year from Lipulekh Pass of Pithoragarh district, has not been conducted since the year 2020 in view of the COVID-19 infection, but this year, due to the special efforts of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, it has been decided to conduct the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra-2025 under the aegis of the Government of Uttarakhand and the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. 5 5 Next Stay Playback speed 1x Normal Back 0.25x 0.5x 1x Normal 1.5x 2x 5 5 / Skip Ads by by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like They were so beautiful before; look at them now; number 10 will Surprise you Reportingly Undo As per the release, in relation to the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra-2025 to be organised this year, discussions were held regarding the safe conduct of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra-2025 in a meeting held at the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi on Monday. It was decided in the meeting that the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra-2025 will be operated by Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam. This journey will start from Delhi and will be conducted via the Lipulekh Pass route of Pithoragarh. The journey will start from June 30, 2025, in which a total of 05 teams of 50-50 persons (total 250 persons) will travel. According to the release, the first team to travel to Kailash Mansarovar will enter China via Lipulekh Pass on July 10, 2025, and the last team will depart from China for India on August 22, 2025. Each team will depart from Delhi and enter China after staying for 01 night in Tanakpur, 01 night in Dharchula, 02 nights in Gunji and 02 nights in Nabhidang (Taklakot). After Kailash Darshan , on the return journey, the group will depart from China and after staying in Bundi for 1 night, Chaukori for 1 night and Almora for 1 night, will reach Delhi. Thus, during the journey, each group will travel for a total of 22 days. Live Events The release noted that the health check-up of all the travellers will be done first in Delhi, and on reaching Gunji (Pithoragarh), the health check-up will be done with the help of the ITBP .
