President Droupadi Murmu’s five-day sojourn in Himachal Pradesh kicked off with a ceremonial welcome at Raj Bhavan, where Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla organized a grand dinner in her honor on Tuesday. This visit, spanning April 27 to May 1, promises a series of high-profile activities amid the scenic hills of Shimla.
Touching down at the President’s Retreat in Mashobra on Monday, the President is residing in this 174-year-old architectural marvel constructed in European style by the Kotli ruler in 1850. Renamed from its original ‘Retreat Building,’ it now welcomes visitors with complimentary bus services from Mall Road on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays since its public opening last April.
Key highlights include a tour of the Atal Tunnel on April 29, showcasing India’s engineering prowess. On April 30, she will grace the convocation ceremony at Palampur’s agricultural university before hosting an ‘At Home’ event. The itinerary wraps up on May 1 with a stop at the Army Training Command in Shimla en route to the capital.
One of four prestigious presidential abodes—others being Delhi’s Rashtrapati Bhavan, Dehradun’s Ashiyana, and Telangana’s Nilayam—this retreat symbolizes national prestige. The visit not only boosts local tourism but also highlights focus areas like defense training and farming innovation, reinforcing the Centre’s outreach in the hill state.
