Uttaranchal

Uttaranchal उत्तरांचल উত্তৰাঞ্চল
State of Vishwamitra
Flag
Nickname:  Land in the North
Anthem: "O! Hamare Mahan Shashak" (Royal anthem of Vishwamitra)
Country	Vishwamitra
Statehood	18 September 2016
Founded by	President Tanishkaa Patranabish Prime Minister Varuna Sriraya
Capital	Gotanagar
Government
• Rajpramukh	Bishnu Chetry
• Crown Prince	Prince Manoj
Demonym	Uttaranchali
Time zone	UTC+05:30 (IST)
ISO 3166 code	VH-UT

Uttaranchal (Hindi: उत्तरांचल, Assamese: উত্তৰাঞ্চল) is a state and administrative division of Vishwamitra which was created on 18 September 2016. Uttaranchal shares its borders with Purvanchal which was bifurcated from Uttaranchal on 2 January 2017 to become the nation's most populated state. There are four official languages in the state - English, Hindi, Assamese, and Nepali. Due to the presence of mainly Hindu population in Uttaranchal, the Hindu festivals of Durga Puja, Diwali, Holi and the cultural festival of Bihu are the major festivals observed within the state.

Etymology

Uttaranchal (Hindi: उत्तरांचल) means the land or region in the north with Uttar (उत्तर) meaning north and Anchal (अंचल) meaning region or land. The state derives its name with reference to its former names of North Guwahati and Uttar Guwahati.

Historical names

• 18 September 2016 – 7 May 2017: North Guwahati
• 7 May 2017 – 20 July 2019: Uttar Guwahati
• 20 July 2019 – present: Uttaranchal

History

The state of Uttaranchal was first created on 18 September 2016 following the creation of the federal administrative units by then government headed by Prime Minister Varuna Sriraya. The area encompassed by the state included the territories of Maligaon, Goshala, B.G.Colony, Adarsha Colony, West Gotanagar, Boragaon, Kalapani, Devkotanagar, etc. which made it the largest state in terms of area as well as population. At the time of its creation, Uttaranchal was named as "North Guwahati" and was formed along with the same of Beltola and the union territory of Central Guwahati. The administration of the state was placed under a governor who was the ceremonial head of state and chief executive officer of the state and was appointed by the President on the advice of the union government. The governor also appointed a chief minister who was the head of government of the state.

On 1 January 2017, the Parliament passed the North Guwahati Re-Organization Bill 2017 paving way for the state of Greater Guwahati (later Brihattar Guwahati and now Purvanchal) to be formed by the bifurcation of the regions of Maligaon, Goshala, Boragaon, Kalapani and Devkotanagar which made Greater Guwahati, the largest state in the nation. On 7 May 2017, North Guwahati was renamed as "Uttar Guwahati" and subsequently on 20 July 2019 to its current name of "Uttaranchal".

Following the adoption of the resolution to introduce a federal monarchy in the nation, Uttaranchal became a constituent state monarchy of the nation under the Rajpramukh of Uttaranchal.

See also

• Administrative divisions of Vishwamitra