Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday said that success in life and public service demands dedication, honesty, transparency and modesty, while interacting with student delegates of the Students’ Parliament (Chhatra Sansad) from reputed educational institutions across the country. The interactive session saw participation from students representing nearly 22 states.
Sharing experiences from his personal and political journey, the Chief Minister recalled that he entered public life at the age of 17. He spoke about his evolution from student politics to becoming President of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee and later representing the Nadaun constituency as an MLA. He said that remaining focused on clear goals helped him rise to the position of Chief Minister, where he gained deep insights into governance, financial management and administrative challenges.
Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the core objective of his government is “Vyavastha Parivartan”, a systemic transformation aimed at making Himachal Pradesh self-reliant rather than merely exercising authority. Highlighting the state’s development indicators, he described Himachal Pradesh as the country’s “happiest state”.
Outlining the government’s vision, the Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh is on course to become a Green State by 2026 by optimally utilising its natural resources and river systems. He said the state is already generating around 14,000 MW of hydropower and is steadily shifting towards solar energy. Emphasising environmental leadership, he described Himachal as the “Water Bowl” and the “Lungs of Northern India”, noting a significant increase in forest and tree cover over the past two decades. He added that with vast snowbound landscapes and strong initiatives in natural farming backed by Minimum Support Price, the state is uniquely positioned to lead in environmental conservation and sustainable agriculture.
The Chief Minister informed students that the state government is continuously working to eliminate VIP culture and rationalisation is being carried out at various levels to ensure fairness and efficiency in governance.
Highlighting welfare initiatives, he spoke in detail about the Sukh Aashraya Yojna, under which orphaned children have been legally adopted as “Children of the State”. He said the scheme provides comprehensive support including education, clothing, pocket money and financial assistance of up to Rs 75 lakh for higher studies at premier institutions such as IITs and IIMs. He also referred to the Sukh Shiksha Yojna and reiterated the government’s commitment to youth empowerment.
On education reforms, the Chief Minister said Himachal Pradesh has achieved a literacy rate of 99.30 percent and is further strengthening the sector through the establishment of Rajiv Gandhi day-boarding schools in every constituency. He added that the introduction of English from Class I in government schools is a significant step towards improving learning outcomes and global competitiveness.
Concluding his address, Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu encouraged students to uphold values of integrity and humility, stating that these qualities are essential for meaningful success. The students also posed questions to the Chief Minister on a range of social, developmental and governance-related issues.
Earlier, Vice President of Students Parliament India Aditya Vegda welcomed the Chief Minister and proposed a vote of thanks. The session was attended by Principal Media Advisor Naresh Chauhan, Advisor to the Chief Minister (Innovation, Digital Technology and Governance) Gokul Butail, MLA Suresh Kumar, Director Maharashtra State Operations Manas Tiwari, Member Shashank Shekhar Pandey and a large number of students from premier educational institutions.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
