India, Nov. 14 -- Uttarakhand became a separate state on November 9, 2000 after years of public demand for governance suited to mountain life. People wanted schools, hospitals and markets closer to remote valleys. They wanted decisions shaped by local voices, terrain and culture rather than by models designed for the plains.
Twenty-five years later, the state has built its own institutions and identity. Yet the core demands that fuelled the statehood movement remain partly unmet. Distance, fragility and uneven development still define life in much of the hills.
Population and Mobility
Uttarakhand has about 11.6 million people, roughly 0.8 per cent of India's population. It records about 1 per cent annual growth, close to the national ave...