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Himachal Pradesh
State
From Top, left to right: Dashair and Dhankar Lake, Hidimba Devi Temple, Bhimakali Temple, Lahaul, Mount Kinnaur Kailash, Shimla Town Hall at The Ridge
Seal
Location in India
State map
Coordinates (Shimla): 31°6′12″N 77°10′20″E / 31.10333°N 77.17222°E / 31.10333; 77.17222Coordinates: 31°6′12″N 77°10′20″E / 31.10333°N 77.17222°E / 31.10333; 77.17222
State	India
Statehood	25 January 1971†
Capitals	Shimla Dharamshala (Second Capital in Winter)
12 Districts	List Bilaspur Chamba Hamirpur Kangra Kinnaur Kullu Lahaul and Spiti Mandi Shimla Sirmaur Solan Una
Government
• Governor	Acharya Dev Vrat[1]
• Chief Justice	Surya Kant[2]
• Chief Minister	Jai Ram Thakur (BJP)
• Legislature	Unicameral[7] (68 seats)
• Parliamentary constituency	Rajya Sabha 3 Lok Sabha 4
Area
• Total	55,673 km2 (21,495 sq mi)
Area rank	18th[3]
Population (2011)[4]
• Total	6,864,602
• Rank	21st
• Density	123/km2 (320/sq mi)
Language
• Official	Hindi[8]
Time zone	UTC+05:30 (IST)
ISO 3166 code	IN-HP
HDI	0.720 (High)
HDI rank	9th (2017)[5]
Literacy	83.78%[6]
Website	www.himachal.nic.in
† It was elevated to the status of state by the State of Himachal Pradesh Act, 1970

Himachal Pradesh (ɦɪˈmaːtʃəl pɾəˈdeːʃ; literally "snow-laden province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is bordered by states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west, Haryana on the southwest, Uttarakhand on the southeast, and Tibet on the east. At its southernmost point, it also touches the state of Uttar Pradesh. The state's name was coined from the Sanskrit—Him means 'snow' and achal means 'land' or 'abode'—by acharya Diwakar Datt Sharma, one of the state's eminent Sanskrit scholars.^[9]

The predominantly mountainous region comprising the present day Himachal Pradesh has been inhabited since pre-historic times having witnessed multiple waves of migration from other areas.^[10] Through it's history, the region was mostly ruled by local kingdoms some of which accepted suzerainty of larger empires. Prior to India's independence from British, Himachal comprised the hilly regions of Punjab Province of British India. After independence, many of the hilly territories were organized as the Chief Commisioner's province of Himachal Pradesh which later became a union territory. In 1966, hilly areas of neighboring Punjab state were merged into Himachal and it was ultimately granted full statehood in 1971.

Himachal Pradesh is spread across valleys with many perennial rivers flowing through them. Almost 90% of the state's population lives in rural areas. Agriculture, horticulture, hydropower and tourism are important constituents of the state's economy. The hilly state is almost universally electrified with 99.5% of the households having electricity as of 2016. The state was declared India's second open-defecation free state in 2016.^[11] According to a survey of CMS - India Corruption Study 2017, Himachal Pradesh is India's least corrupt state.^[12][13]

History

Tribes such as the Koli, Hali, Dagi, Dhaugri, Dasa, Khasa, Kanaura, and Kirat inhabited the region from the prehistoric era.^[14] The foothills of the modern state of Himachal Pradesh were inhabited by people from the Indus valley civilization which flourished between 2250 and 1750 B.C.^[15] The Kols or Mundas are believed to be the original migrants to the hills of present day Himachal Pradesh followed by the Bhotas and Kiratas.^[15]

During the Vedic period, several small republics known as Janapada existed which were later conquered by the Gupta Empire. After a brief period of supremacy by King Harshavardhana, the region was divided into several local powers headed by chieftains, including some Rajput principalities. These kingdoms enjoyed a large degree of independence and were invaded by Delhi Sultanate a number of times.^[15]Mahmud Ghaznavi conquered Kangra at the beginning of the 10th century. Timur and Sikander Lodi also marched through the lower hills of the state and captured a number of forts and fought many battles.^[15] Several hill states acknowledged Mughal suzerainty and paid regular tribute to the Mughals.^[16]

Sansar Chand (c. 1765–1823)

The Kingdom of Gorkha conquered many kingdoms and came to power in Nepal in 1768.^[15] They consolidated their military power and began to expand their territory.^[15] Gradually, the Kingdom of Nepal annexed Sirmour and Shimla. Under the leadership of Amar Singh Thapa, the Nepali army laid siege to Kangra. They managed to defeat Sansar Chand Katoch, the ruler of Kangra, in 1806 with the help of many provincial chiefs. However, the Nepali army could not capture Kangra fort which came under Maharaja Ranjeet Singh in 1809. After the defeat, they began to expand towards the south of the state. However, Raja Ram Singh, Raja of Siba State, captured the fort of Siba from the remnants of Lahore Darbar in Samvat 1846,^[15] during the First Anglo-Sikh War.

They came into direct conflict with the British along the tarai belt after which the British expelled them from the provinces of the Satluj.^[15] The British gradually emerged as the paramount power in the region.^[15] In the revolt of 1857, or first Indian war of independence, arising from a number of grievances against the British,^[15] the people of the hill states were not as politically active as were those in other parts of the country.^[15] They and their rulers, with the exception of Bushahr, remained more or less inactive.^[15] Some, including the rulers of Chamba, Bilaspur, Bhagal and Dhami, rendered help to the British government during the revolt.

Rock Cut Temple, Masroor

The British territories came under the British Crown after Queen Victoria's proclamation of 1858. The states of Chamba, Mandi and Bilaspur made good progress in many fields during the British rule.^[15] During World War I, virtually all rulers of the hill states remained loyal and contributed to the British war effort, both in the form of men and materials. Among these were the states of Kangra, Jaswan, Datarpur, Guler, Rajgarh, Nurpur, Chamba, Suket, Mandi, and Bilaspur.^[15]

After independence, the Chief Commissioner's Province of Himachal Pradesh was organized on 15 April 1948 as a result of integration of 28 petty princely states (including feudal princes and zaildars) in the promontories of the western Himalayas. These were known as the Simla Hills States and four Punjab southern hill states under the Himachal Pradesh (Administration) Order, 1948 under Sections 3 and 4 of the Extra-Provincial Jurisdiction Act, 1947 (later renamed as the Foreign Jurisdiction Act, 1947 vide A.O. of 1950). The State of Bilaspur was merged into Himachal Pradesh on 1 July 1954 by the Himachal Pradesh and Bilaspur (New State) Act, 1954.^[17]

Himachal became a Part 'C' state on 26 January 1950 with the implementation of the Constitution of India and the Lieutenant Governor was appointed. The Legislative Assembly was elected in 1952. Himachal Pradesh became a union territory on 1 November 1956.^[15] Some areas of Punjab State— namely Simla, Kangra, Kullu and Lahul and Spiti Districts, Nalagarh tehsil of Ambala District, Lohara, Amb and Una kanungo circles, some area of Santokhgarh kanungo circle and some other specified area of Una tehsil of Hoshiarpur District, besides some parts of Dhar Kalan Kanungo circle of Pathankot tehsil of Gurdaspur District—were merged with Himachal Pradesh on 1 November 1966 on enactment by Parliament of Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966.^[17] On 18 December 1970, the State of Himachal Pradesh Act was passed by Parliament, and the new state came into being on 25 January 1971. Himachal became the 18th state of the Indian Union with Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar as its first chief minister.^[15]

Geography and climate

Himachal is in the western Himalayas. Covering an area of 55,673 square kilometres (21,495 sq mi),^[3] it is a mountainous state. Most of the state lies on the foothills of the Dhauladhar Range. At 6,816 m Reo Purgyil is the highest mountain peak in the state of Himachal Pradesh.^[18]

The drainage system of Himachal is composed both of rivers and glaciers. Himalayan rivers criss-cross the entire mountain chain.
Himachal Pradesh provides water to both the Indus and Ganges basins.^[19] The drainage systems of the region are the Chandra Bhaga or the Chenab, the Ravi, the Beas, the Sutlej, and the Yamuna. These rivers are perennial and are fed by snow and rainfall. They are protected by an extensive cover of natural vegetation.^[19]

Due to extreme variation in elevation, great variation occurs in the climatic conditions of Himachal. The climate varies from hot and subhumid tropical in the southern tracts to, with more elevation, cold, alpine, and glacial in the northern and eastern mountain ranges.^[20] The state's winter capital, Dharamsala receives very heavy rainfall, while areas like Lahaul and Spiti are cold and almost rainless. Broadly, Himachal experiences three seasons: summer, winter, and rainy season. Summer lasts from mid-April till the end of June and most parts become very hot (except in the alpine zone which experiences a mild summer) with the average temperature ranging from 28 to 32 °C (82 to 90 °F). Winter lasts from late November till mid March. Snowfall is common in alpine tracts (generally above 2,200 metres (7,218 ft) i.e. in the higher and trans-Himalayan region).

Flora and fauna

Asian paradise flycatcher in Kullu

Himachal Pradesh is one of the states that lies in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), one of the richest reservoirs of biological diversity in the world. The IHR is currently undergoing large scale irrational extraction of wild, medicinal herbs, thus endangering many of its high-value gene stock. To address this, a workshop on ‘Endangered Medicinal Plant Species in Himachal Pradesh’ was held in 2002 and the conference was attended by forty experts from diverse disciplines.^[21]

Black Bulbul (Hypsipetes leucocephalus). Solan (Himachal Pradesh). 28-July-2013

According to 2003 Forest Survey of India report, legally defined forest areas constitute 66.52% of the area of Himachal Pradesh.^[22] Vegetation in the state is dictated by elevation and precipitation. The state endows with a high diversity of medicinal and aromatic plants.^[23] Lahaul-Spiti region of the state, being a cold desert, supports unique plants of medicinal value including Ferula jaeschkeana, Hyoscyamus niger, Lancea tibetica, and Saussurea bracteata.^[24][25]

Himachal is also said to be the fruit bowl of the country,^[26] with orchards being widespread. Meadows and pastures are also seen clinging to steep slopes. After the winter season, the hillsides and orchards bloom with wild flowers, while gladiolas, carnations, marigolds,^[27]roses, chrysanthemums, tulips and lilies are carefully cultivated. Himachal Pradesh Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation Ltd. (HPMC) is a state body that markets fresh and processed fruits.^[28]

Himachal Pradesh has around 463 bird^[29] 77 mammalian, 44 reptile and 80 fish species.^[30]Great Himalayan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Pin Valley National Park are the national Parks located in the state.^[30][31] The state also has 30 wildlife sanctuaries and 3 conservation reserves.^[31]

Government

Town Hall in Shimla

The Legislative Assembly of Himachal Pradesh has no pre-Constitution history. The State itself is a post-Independence creation. It came into being as a centrally administered territory on 15 April 1948 from the integration of thirty erstwhile princely states.^[32]

Himachal Pradesh is governed through a parliamentary system of representative democracy, a feature the state shares with other Indian states. Universal suffrage is granted to residents. The legislature consists of elected members and special office bearers such as the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker who are elected by the members. Assembly meetings are presided over by the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker in the Speaker's absence. The judiciary is composed of the Himachal Pradesh High Court and a system of lower courts. Executive authority is vested in the Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister, although the titular head of government is the Governor. The Governor is the head of state appointed by the President of India. The leader of the party or coalition with a majority in the Legislative Assembly is appointed as the Chief Minister by the Governor, and the Council of Ministers are appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister. The Council of Ministers reports to the Legislative Assembly. The Assembly is unicameral with 68 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA).^[33] Terms of office run for 5 years, unless the Assembly is dissolved prior to the completion of the term. Auxiliary authorities known as panchayats, for which local body elections are regularly held, govern local affairs.

In the assembly elections held in November 2017, the BJP secured an absolute majority. The BJP won 44 of the 68 seats while the Congress won only 21 of the 68 seats. Jai Ram Thakur^[34] was sworn-in as Himachal Pradesh's Chief Minister for the first time^[35] in Shimla on 27 December 2017.

Administrative divisions

Bilaspur

Chamba

Hamirpur

Kangra

Kinnaur

Kullu

Lahaul and Spiti

Mandi

Shimla

Sirmaur

Solan

Una

Subdivisions of Himachal Pradesh

The state of Himachal Pradesh is divided into 12 districts^[36] which are grouped into three divisions, Shimla, Kangra and Mandi.^[37] The districts are further divided into 69 subdivisions, 78 blocks and 145 Tehsils.^[36]

Economy

Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh. Shimla Montage - Clockwise from top: Skyline at Shimla Southern Side, Indian Institute of Advanced Studies formerly(Viceregal Lodge, Rashtrapati Niwas), Town hall, Night view of Shimla and Christ Church.

The era of planning in Himachal Pradesh started in 1951 along with the rest of India with the implementation of the first five-year plan. The First Plan allocated ₹52.7 million to Himachal Pradesh.^[44] More than 50% of this expenditure was incurred on transport and communication; while the power sector got a share of just 4.6%, though it had steadily increased to 7% by the Third Plan.^[45] Expenditure on agriculture and allied activities increased from 14.4% in the First Plan to 32% in the Third Plan, showing a progressive decline afterwards from 24% in the Fourth Plan to less than 10% in the Tenth Plan.^[45] Expenditure on energy sector was 24.2% of the total in the Tenth Plan.^[45]

The total GDP for 2005-06 was estimated at ₹254 billion as against ₹230 billion in the year 2004–05, showing an increase of 10.5%.^[46] The GDP for fiscal 2015-16 was estimated at ₹1.110 trillion,^[41] which increased to ₹1.247 trillion in 2016-17, recording a growth of 6.8%.^[42] The per capita income increased from ₹130,067 in 2015-16 to ₹147,277 in 2016-17.^[41][42] The state government's advance estimates for fiscal 2017-18 stated the total GDP and per capita income as ₹1.359 trillion and ₹158,462 respectively.^[43] As of 2018, Himachal is the 22nd-largest state economy in India with ₹1.52 lakh crore (US$21 billion) in gross domestic product and has the 13th-highest per capita income (₹160,000 (US$2,200)) among the states and union territories of India.^[47]

Himachal Pradesh also ranks as the second best performing state in the country on human development indicators after Kerala.^[48] One of the Indian government's key initiatives to tackle unemployment is the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). The participation of women in the NREGA has been observed to vary across different regions of the nation. As of the year 2009-2010, Himachal Pradesh joined the category of high female participation, recording a 46% share of NREGS (National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) work days to women. This was a drastic increase from the 13% that was recorded in 2006-2007.^[49]

Agriculture

Himalayas from Kullu Valley

Agriculture contributes about 9.4% to the net state domestic product.^[50] It is the main source of income and employment in Himachal. About 90% of the population in Himachal depends directly upon agriculture, which provides direct employment to 62% of total workers of state.^[50] The main cereals grown include wheat, maize, rice and barley with major cropping systems being maize-wheat, rice-wheat and maize-potato-wheat.^[51][52]Pulses, fruits, vegetables and oilseeds are among the other crops grown in the state.^[51] Land husbandry initiatives such as the Mid-Himalayan Watershed Development Project, which includes the Himachal Pradesh Reforestation Project (HPRP), the world's largest clean development mechanism (CDM) undertaking, have improved agricultural yields and productivity, and raised rural household incomes.^[53]

Apple is the principal cash crop of the state grown principally in the districts of Shimla, Kinnaur, Kullu, Mandi, Chamba and some parts of Sirmaur and Lahaul-Spiti with an average annual production of 5 lakh tonnes and per hectare production of 8 to 10 tonnes.^[54] The apple cultivation constitute 49 per cent of the total area under fruit crops and 85% of total fruit production in the state with an estimated economy of ₹3500 crore.^[54] Apples from Himachal are exported to other Indian states and even other countries.^[55][56] In 2011-12, the total area under apple cultivation was 1.04 lakh hectares, increased from 90,347 hectares in 2000-01.^[56] According to the provisional estimates of Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, the annual apple production in Himachal for fiscal 2015-16 stood at 7.53 lakh tonnes, making it India's second largest apple producing state after Jammu and Kashmir.^[57]

Energy

Hydropower is one of the major sources of income generation for the state.^[58] The state has an abundance of hydropower resources because of the presence of various perennial rivers. Many high capacity hydropower plants have been constructed which produce surplus electricity that is sold to other states, such as Delhi, Punjab and West Bengal.^[59] The income generated from exporting the electricity to other states is being provided as subsidy to the consumers in the state.^[60] The rich hydropower resources of Himachal have resulted in the state becoming almost universally electrified with around 94.8% houses receiving electricity as of 2001, as compared to the national average of 55.9%.^[60] Himachal's hydro-electric power production is however yet to be fully utilized.^[61] The identified Hydroelectric Potential for the state is 27,436 MW in five river basins^[59] and the annual hydroelectricity production in 2016 was 10,351 MW.^[61]

Tourism

Kalpa in June 2015.

Tourism in Himachal Pradesh is a major contributor to the state's economy and growth. The mountainous state with its Himalayan landscapes attracts tourists from all over the world. Hill stations like Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala, Dalhousie, Chamba, Khajjiar, Kullu and Kasauli are popular destinations for both domestic and foreign tourists.^[62] The state also has many important Hindu pilgrimage sites with prominent temples like Naina Devi Temple, Bajreshwari Mata Temple, Jwala Ji Temple, Chintpurni, Chamunda Devi Temple, Baijnath Temple, Bhimakali Temple, Bijli Mahadev and Jakhoo Temple.^[63]Manimahesh Lake situated in the Bharmour region of Chamba district is the venue of an annual Hindu pilgrimage trek held in the month of August which attracts lakhs of devotees.^[64] The state is also referred to as "Dev Bhoomi" (literally meaning Abode of Gods) due to its mention as such in ancient Hindu texts and occurrence of a large number of historical temples in the state.^[65]

Triund is a campsite for travellers and trekkers on the way to Indrahar Pass, Dhauladhar Mountain Range.

It is also called the Land of the Gods on account of the Hindu belief that deities like Lord Shiva considered the Himalayas their abode, and much of the state is located among the Himalayan mountains. Although modern pop-literature writers online have often also referred to Uttarakhand as the land of the gods because it also contains Himalayan mountains, officially it is Himachal Pradesh that has been considered the land of the gods since before the state of Uttarakhand existed (the UK as it is abbreviated on license plates for automobiles in the state, and the state was founded in the year 2000).^[66] A tourism department board on the road when entering Himachal Pradesh from the state of Punjab states "Welcome to the Land of the Gods."

The state is also known for its adventure tourism activities like ice skating in Shimla, paragliding in Bir Billing and Solang valley, rafting in Kullu, skiing in Manali, boating in Bilaspur and trekking, horse riding and fishing in different parts in the state.^[67]Shimla, the state's capital, is home to Asia's only natural ice skating rink.^[68] Spiti Valley in Lahaul & Spiti District situated at an altitude of over 3000 metres with its picturesque landscapes is an important destination for adventure seekers. The region also has some of the oldest Buddhist Monasteries in Asia.^[69]

Himachal hosted the first Paragliding World Cup in India from 24 October to 31 October in 2015.^[70][71] Venue for paragliding world cup was Bir Billing, which is 70 km from the tourist town Macleod Ganj, located in the heart of Himachal in Kangra District. Bir Billing is the centre for aero sports in Himachal and considered as best for paragliding.^[70] Buddhist monasteries, trekking to tribal villages, mountain biking are other activities to do here.

Transport

Kalka-Shimla Railway

Air

Himachal has three domestic airports in Kangra, Kullu and Shimla districts.^[72] The air routes connect the state with Delhi and Chandigarh.

• 
  Bhuntar Airport is in Kullu district, around 10 kilometres (6 mi) from district headquarters.


• 
  Gaggal Airport is in Kangra district, around 15 kilometres (9 mi) from district headquarters at Dharamshala, which is around 10 kilometres from Kangra
  


• 
  Shimla Airport is around 21 kilometres (13 mi) west of the city.

Railway

Himachal is known for its narrow-gauge railways. One is the Kalka-Shimla Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and another is the Pathankot-Jogindernagar line.^[73] The total length of these two tracks is 259 kilometres (161 mi). The Kalka-Shimla Railway passes through many tunnels, while the Pathankot–Jogindernagar meanders through a maze of hills and valleys. The state also has broad-gauge railway track, which connects Amb and Una (district headquarters of Una district) to Delhi. A survey is being conducted to extend this railway line to Hamirpur.^[74] The total route length of the operational railway network in the state is 296.26 kilometres (184.09 mi).^[75] Other proposed railways in the state are Dharamsala-Palampur, Baddi-Chandigarh and Bilaspur-Manali-Leh.^[76][77]

Road

Roads are the major mode of transport in the hilly terrains. The state has road network of 28,208 kilometres (17,528 mi),^[78] including eight National Highways (NH) that constitute 1,234 kilometres (767 mi) and 19 State Highways with a total length of 1,625 kilometres (1,010 mi).^[78]Hamirpur district has the highest road density in the country.^[79] Some roads get closed during winter and monsoon seasons due to snow and landslides. The state-owned Himachal Road Transport Corporation with a fleet of over 3,100,^[80] operates bus services connecting important cities and towns with the villages within the state and also on various interstate routes. In addition, around 3,000 private buses run by various operators also ply in the state.^[81]

Demographics

Population

Himachal Pradesh has a total population of 6,864,602 including 3,481,873 males and 3,382,729 females as per the final results of the Census of India 2011. This is only 0.57 per cent of India's total population, recording a growth of 12.81 per cent.^[4][82] The scheduled castes and scheduled tribes account for 25.19 per cent and 5.71 per cent of the population respectively.^[84] The sex ratio stood at 972 females per 1000 males, recording a marginal increase from 968 in 2001.^[85] The child sex ratio increased from 896 in 2001 to 909 in 2011.^[85] The total fertility rate (TFR) per woman in 2015 stood at 1.7, one of the lowest in India.^[86]

In the census, the state is placed 21st on the population chart, followed by Tripura at 22nd place.^[87]Kangra district was top ranked with a population strength of 1,507,223 (21.98%), Mandi district 999,518 (14.58%), Shimla district 813,384 (11.86%), Solan district 576,670 (8.41%), Sirmaur district 530,164 (7.73%), Una district 521,057 (7.60%), Chamba district 518,844 (7.57%), Hamirpur district 454,293 (6.63%), Kullu district 437,474 (6.38%), Bilaspur district 382,056 (5.57%), Kinnaur district 84,298 (1.23%) and Lahaul Spiti 31,528 (0.46%).^[88]

The life expectancy at birth in Himachal Pradesh increased significantly from 52.6 years in the period from 1970-75 (above the national average of 49.7 years) to 72.0 years for the period 2011-15 (above the national average of 68.3 years).^[89] The infant mortality rate stood at 40 in 2010, and the crude birth rate has declined from 37.3 in 1971 to 16.9 in 2010, below the national average of 26.5 in 1998. The crude death rate was 6.9 in 2010.^[90] Himachal Pradesh's literacy rate has almost doubled between 1981 and 2011 (see table to right). The state is one of the most literate states of India with a literacy rate of 83.78% as of 2011.^[6]

Languages

Hindi is the official language of Himachal Pradesh and is spoken by the majority of the population as a lingua franca. English is given the status of an additional official language.^[8] Most of the languages spoken natively belong to the group of the Himachali languages. According to the 2001 Census of India, the languages spoken in the state in descending order of native speakers are Hindi, spoken by 89.01% of the population (including Himachali languages as dialects of Hindi); followed by Punjabi (5.99%), Nepali (1.16%) and Kinnauri (1.06%).^[8]

Religion

Hinduism is the major religion in Himachal Pradesh. More than 95% of the total population adheres to the Hindu faith, the distribution of which is evenly spread throughout the state.^[93] Himachal Pradesh has the highest proportion of Hindu population among all the states and union territories in India.^[94]

Other religions that form a small percentage are Islam, Sikhism and Buddhism. Muslims are mainly concentrated in Sirmaur, Chamba, Una and Solan districts where they form 2.53-6.27% of the population.^[93] Sikhs mostly live in towns and cities and constitute 1.16% of the state population. The Buddhists, who constitute 1.15%, are mainly natives and tribals from Lahaul and Spiti, where they form a majority of 62%, and Kinnaur, where they form 21.5%.^[93]

Culture

Traditional home, Manali

Nako Village

Himachal Pradesh was one of the few states that had remained largely untouched by external customs, largely due to its difficult terrain. With remarkable economic and social advancements, the state has changed very rapidly.^[95] Himachal Pradesh is a multireligious, multicultural as well as a multilingual state like other Indian states. Western Pahari languages also known as Himachali languages are widely spoken in the state. Some of the most commonly spoken individual languages are Kangri, Mandeali, Kulvi, Chambeali, Bharmauri and Kinnauri.^[96] The Hindu communities residing in Himachal include the Brahmins, Rajputs, Kayasthas, Sunars, Kannets, Rathis and Kolis.^[97] The tribal population of the state consists mainly of Gaddis, Gujjars, Kanauras, Pangwalas, Bhots, Swanglas and Lahaulas.^[97][98]

Himachal is well known for its handicrafts. The carpets, leather works, Kullu shawls, Kangra paintings, Chamba Rumals, stoles, embroidered grass footwear (Pullan chappal), silver jewelry, metal-ware, knitted woolen socks, Pattoo, basketry of cane and bamboo (Wicker and Rattan) and woodwork are among the notable ones.^{[99][100][101]} Of late, the demand for these handicrafts has increased within and outside the country.^[100] Himachali caps of various colour bands are also well-known art work of the local people, and are often treated as a symbol of the Himachali identity.^[102] The colour of the Himachali caps has been an indicator of political loyalties in the hill state for a long period of time with Congress party leaders like Virbhadra Singh always donning caps with green band and the rival BJP leader Prem Kumar Dhumal always wearing a cap with maroon band.^[103][104] The former has served six terms as the Chief Minister of the state while the latter is a two-time Chief Minister.^[105] Local music and dance also reflects the cultural identity of the state. Through their dance and music, the Himachali people entreat their gods during local festivals and other special occasions.^[106]

Apart from the fairs and festivals that are celebrated all over India, there are number of other fairs and festivals, including the temple fairs in nearly every region that are of great significance to Himachal Pradesh.^[106][107] The Kullu Dussehra festival is very famous all over India.^[108] The day to day cuisine of Himachalis is very similar to the rest of the north India with a significant influence of Punjabi and Tibetan cuisines.^[109]Lentils (Dāl), rice (Chāwal or Bhāț), vegetables (Sabzī) and chapati (wheat flatbread) form the staple food of the local population.^[109] As compared to other states in north India, non-vegetarian food is more preferred and accepted in Himachal Pradesh, partly owing to difficulty in finding a variety of fresh vegetables on the hilly terrain of the state.^[110] Some of the local specialities of Himachali cuisine include Siddu, Babru, Khatta, Mhanee, Channa Madra, Patrode, Mah Ki Dal, Chamba Style Fried Fish, Kullu Trout, Chha Gosht, Pahadi Chicken, Sepu Badi, Auriya Kaddu, Aloo Palda, Pateer, Makki Ki Roti and Sarson Ka Saag, Chouck, Bhagjery and Chutney of Til.^[110][111]

Notable people

Kalachakra Temple in the main street of Mcleod Ganj

• 
  14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, Nobel Peace Prize recipient and former Head of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile
  


• 
  Dev Anand, Bollywood actor who studied here


• 
  Shahid Javed Burki, economist and former vice-president of World Bank
  


• 
  Mohit Chauhan, Bollywood singer


• 
  Siddharth Chauhan, independent filmmaker


• Prem Chopra


• 
  Rubina Dilaik, television actress


• 
  Namrata Singh Gujral, American actress


• 
  Yami Gautam, Bollywood actress


• 
  Allan Octavian Hume, ornithologist
  


• 
  Hamid Karzai, president of Afghanistan who studied here


• 
  The Great Khali, professional wrestler


• 
  Anupam Kher, Bollywood actor


• 
  Sushma Verma, cricketer


• Major Som Nath Sharma, the first recipient of the Param Vir Chakra from the state


• Naib Subedar Sanjay Kumar, an Indian Army Junior Commissioned Officer and recipient of the Param Vir Chakra


• Captain Vikram Batra, recipient of the Param Vir Chakra


• 
  Ram Kumar, abstract artist


• 
  Ankush Bhardwaj, Singer


• 
  Shanta Kumar, member of Lok Sabha
  


• 
  Vijay Kumar, silver medallist in 25m shooting at the 2012 Summer Olympics
  


• 
  Mehr Chand Mahajan, Third Supreme Court Chief-Justice and former chief Minister of Kashmir in 1947,


• 
  Jagat Prakash Nadda, member of Lok Sabha and Health Minister of India
  


• 
  Shyam Saran Negi, named as the first voter of independent India


• 
  Shivya Pathania, television actress


• 
  Karnail Rana, Himachali Folk Singer


• 
  Purva Rana, Miss Femina 2012


• 
  Kangana Ranaut, Bollywood actress


• 
  Idries Shah writer, Sufi teacher and sage


• 
  Anand Sharma, member of Rajya Sabha and former Union Cabinet Minister for Commerce and Industry^[112] of the Government of India


• 
  Anuj Sharma, Bollywood singer


• 
  Shriya Sharma, film actress


• 
  Pritam Singh, brand ambassador of the state


• 
  Sobha Singh, painter


• 
  Asmita Sood, television actress


• 
  Satyananda Stokes, who introduced apples to the region


• 
  Ajay Thakur, gold medallist at the Asian Games and World Cup in 2016


• 
  Anurag Thakur, member of Lok Sabha and former President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India
  


• 
  Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, former general of Pakistan who studied here


• 
  Preity Zinta, Bollywood actress


• 
  Shiva Keshavan, Winter Olympian


• 
  Adarsh Rathore, Journalist and musician


• 
  Ram Swaroop Sharma, Politician


• 
  Charlie Chauhan, television actress

Education

Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital at Shimla

Indian Institute of Advanced Study at Shimla

At the time of Independence, Himachal Pradesh had a literacy rate of 8% - one of the lowest in the country.^[113] By 2011, the literacy rate surged to over 82%,^[114][4] making Himachal one of the most literate states in the country. There are over 10,000 primary schools, 1,000 secondary schools and more than 1,300 high schools in the state.^[115] In meeting the constitutional obligation to make primary education compulsory, Himachal became the first state in India to make elementary education accessible to every child.^[116] Although gender bias in education levels is a prominent issue all over India, Himachal Pradesh is one of the exceptions.^[117] The state has a female literacy rate of around 76%.^[118] In addition, school enrollment and participation rates for girls are almost universal at the primary level. While higher levels of education do reflect a gender based disparity, Himachal is still significantly ahead of other states at bridging the gap.^[119] The Hamirpur District in particular stands out for high literacy rates across all metrics of measurement.^[120]

The state government has played an instrumental role in the rise of literacy in the state by spending a significant proportion of the state's GDP on education. During the first six five-year plans, most of the development expenditure in education sector was utilized in quantitative expansion, but after the seventh five-year-plan the state government switched emphasis on qualitative improvement and modernisation of education.^[113] In an effort to raise the number of teaching staff at primary schools they appointed over 1000 teacher aids through the Vidya Upasak Yojna in 2001.^[113] The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is another HP government initiative that not only aims for universal elementary education but also encourages communities to engage in the management of schools.^[121] The Rashtriya Madhayamic Shiksha Abhiyan launched in 2009, is a similar scheme but focuses on improving access to quality secondary education.^[121]

The standard of education in the state has reached a considerably high level as compared to other states in India^[120] with several reputed educational institutes for higher studies. The Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, Indian Institute of Management Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamsala, National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur, Indian Institute of Information Technology Una, Alakh Prakash Goyal University and Baddi University of Emerging Sciences and Technologies are some of the notable universities in the state. Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital in Shimla, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in Kangra, Rajiv Gandhi Government Post Graduate Ayurvedic College in Paprola and Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital in Kumarhatti are the prominent medical institutes in the state. Besides these, there is a Government Dental College in Shimla which is the state's first recognised dental institute.^[122] The state government has also decided to start three major nursing colleges to develop the healthcare system of the state.^[123]CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishwavidyalya Palampur is one of the most renowned hill agriculture institutes in the world. Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry has earned a unique distinction in India for imparting teaching, research and extension education in horticulture, forestry and allied disciplines. Further, state-run Jawaharlal Nehru Government Engineering College was inaugurated in 2006 at Sundernagar.^[123]
Himachal Pradesh also hosts a campus of the prestigious fashion college, National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in Kangra.

Industry

State profile

Kalpa, a typical town in Himachal Pradesh

Sunrise in Himachal Pradesh, at Kinnaur Kailash

Sunshine on a snowy mountain at Himachal Pradesh

Snowy mountain range appears to be in sky

Source: Department of Information and Public Relations.^[124]

Census 2011-

Largest District (km²)
(1) Lahul and Spiti 13841
(2) Chamba 6522
(3) Kinnaur 6401
(4) Kangra 5739
(5) Kullu 5503

Highest Percentage of Child Population
(1) Chamba 13.55%
(2) Sirmaur 13.14%
(3) Solan 11.74%
(4) Kullu 11.52%
(5) Una 11.36%

Highest Density
(1) Hamirpur 407
(2) Una 338
(3) Bilaspur 327
(4) Solan 300
(5) Kangra 263

Top Population Growth
(1) Una 16.26%
(2) Solan 15.93%
(3) Sirmaur 15.54%
(4) Kullu 14.76%
(5) Kangra 12.77%

Highest Literacy
(1) Hamirpur 100%
(2) Una 87.23%
(3) Kangra 86.49%
(4) Blaspur 85.87%
(5) Solan 85.02%

Highest Sex Ratio
(1) Hamirpur 1050
(2) Kangra 1012
(3) Mandi 1007
(4) Chamba 986
(5) Bilaspur 981

See also

Book: India

• 
  Outline of Himachal Pradesh
  
  • Geography of Himachal Pradesh
  
  
  • List of districts of Himachal Pradesh
  
  
  • Tourism in Himachal Pradesh
  
  


• Udeep tribe


• 
  Outline of India
  
  • Bibliography of India
  
  
  • Index of India-related articles
  
  

Notes

References

External links

Government

• The Official Site of Himachal Pradesh


• The Official Tourism Site of Himachal Pradesh, India

General information

• 
  Himachal Pradesh Encyclopædia Britannica entry


• 
  Himachal Pradesh at Curlie
  


• 
  Geographic data related to Himachal Pradesh at OpenStreetMap