LG attends dPal rNgam Duston-2026, highlights transformative development journey of Ladakh since UT formation

Saxena announces dPal rNgam Award 2026 for His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa Rinpoche and Lifetime Achievement Award for Late Col Sonam Wangchuk, MVC.

LEH: Lieutenant Governor, Vinai Kumar Saxena, today attended the “dPal rNgam Duston 2026” celebrations at the historic Leh Palace, commemorating the seventh anniversary of Ladakh’s attainment of Union Territory status.

Amid the cultural fervour, the L-G congratulated the people of Ladakh, stating this historic occasion marked the fulfilment of the long-standing aspirations of the people under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor announced conferment of the “dPal rNgam Award 2026” upon His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa Rinpoche in recognition of his outstanding contributions in the fields of health, education, gender equality, and environment and heritage protection. The L-G also announced conferment of the “dPal rNgam Lifetime Achievement Award 2026” upon Late Colonel Sonam Wangchuk, Maha Vir Chakra, in recognition of his unparalleled courage, distinguished military service and enduring contribution to the nation.

Addressing the gathering, the Lieutenant Governor described 5 August as a defining moment in Ladakh’s history, and said that “dPal rNgam Duston” has evolved into a celebration of Ladakh’s identity, culture, resilience and collective aspirations while symbolising unity among its people.

“The journey of Ladakh as a Union Territory has been one of transformation, resilience and collective progress. Our endeavour has been to build an inclusive, sustainable and future-ready Ladakh while preserving its unique cultural identity and fragile ecology.

The remarkable achievements across governance, infrastructure, tourism, healthcare, education, environment and sports reflect the collective efforts of our people and the unwavering support of the Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As we move towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, we remain committed to building a prosperous, peaceful and self-reliant Ladakh that offers equal opportunities to every citizen,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

Highlighting the remarkable transformation witnessed over the past seven years, Shri Saxena said the UT Administration has focused on decentralised governance, sustainable development and improved public service delivery. On this occasion, the Lieutenant Governor highlighted the development in various sectors/areas in Ladakh after becoming the Union Territory.

The Lieutenant Governor said Ladakh has emerged as one of the country’s leading examples of environmentally sustainable development. He highlighted the complete prohibition on chemical fertilisers to realise the vision of making Ladakh India’s largest certified organic region, the launch of Project Him Sarovar for water conservation, the Green Ladakh Campaign, restoration of degraded land and the promotion of renewable energy through solar and geothermal initiatives.