Women’s role in culture, livelihoods central to Uttarakhand, says Geeta Dhami

At the Sawan Utsav 2026 event in Tanakpur, Seva Sankalp Foundation's Geeta Dhami celebrated women's contributions to Uttarakhand's culture and livelihoods.

Women play a central role in Uttarakhand’s culture, agriculture and livelihoods, Seva Sankalp Foundation founder-trustee Geeta Dhami said at a women-focused cultural event in Tanakpur.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami (Representative image) (@pushkardhami)

The foundation organised ‘Sawan Utsav 2026’ at Milan Vatika, where 10 women from different fields were presented the ‘Nanda Shikhar Samman’ for their contributions to society. The event featured cultural performances, competitions and activities centred on Uttarakhand’s traditions.

Dhami also planted a sandalwood sapling under the foundation’s ‘Ek Paudha, Prakriti Ke Naam’ campaign and distributed saplings among women attending the programme, urging them to contribute to environmental conservation.

Addressing the gathering, Dhami said women were not limited to household responsibilities and were also important contributors to farming, culture and livelihoods. She said women from Uttarakhand were making their mark in education, sports, administration and entrepreneurship.

She highlighted schemes such as the Nanda Gaura Yojana, Mukhyamantri Ekal Mahila Swarozgar Yojana and Lakhpati Didi initiative, saying such programmes could help women pursue education and economic opportunities.

The event included a folk dance competition, the ‘Mrs Sawan Queen 2026’ contest, traditional performances and games. Performances based on Shiva-Parvati, along with Santun-Anthu (Gaura Mahesh) and Jhora-Chanchari traditions, were presented.

Dhami said the foundation would work on education, skill development, entrepreneurship and marketing to support women seeking greater economic independence.

Several local public representatives and community members attended the event.