By Our Correspondent
Gorakhpur, September 5: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stated on Saturday that Gorakhpur is a crucial hub for the three crore people of eastern Uttar Pradesh, which borders Bihar and Nepal.
Welcoming Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar at the inauguration ceremony of Sainik School Gorakhpur, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath remarked, ““Today, Gorakhpur is making significant strides in the development journey of New India, inspired and guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Gorakhpur has emerged as a dream destination for education, health, and investment in the North-East region.”
Congratulating Vice President Dhankhar and his wife, Dr. Sudesh Dhankhar, on behalf of the state and the people of Gorakhpur, the Chief Minister expressed his joy at the Vice President’s first visit to Gorakhpur. He emphasized that the establishment of Sainik School is serving a sacred purpose of shaping future generations, marking an important milestone for eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Highlighting Gorakhpur’s historical and cultural significance, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath remarked, “Gorakhpur has been an important place since ancient times. It is not only the revered site of Mahayogi Guru Gorakhnath, but also a global center for publishing Sanatan literature through Gita Press. During the first war of independence in 1857, Gorakhpur played a crucial role in challenging British rule under the leadership of Shaheed Bandhu Singh.”
He further noted that the historic Chauri Chaura incident in 1922 invigorated the struggle for independence.
Emphasizing Gorakhpur’s abundance of natural resources, the Chief Minister stated, “When we consider Gorakhpur’s central location, we find that Kushinagar, where Mahatma Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana, is just 50 km away. Lumbini, Buddha’s birthplace, is 90 km from here, and Maghar, where Sant Kabir attained Parinirvana, is 25 km away. Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Shri Ram, is 175 km from Gorakhpur, while the city of Baba Vishwanath, Kashi, is 225 km away.”
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath pointed out that the site where the Sainik School now stands was once home to a fertilizer factory complex that had been shut down. He stated, “With its reopening, it has become a crucial hub for boosting agricultural productivity, reducing farming costs, and generating new livelihood opportunities.”
He noted that the health campaign is gaining momentum, with AIIMS and BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur setting new records in medicine. Sugarcane farmers are benefiting unexpectedly from the sugar mills, and the development of state-of-the-art infrastructure, including expressways and multi-lane roads, is shaping a unique identity for Gorakhpur and Uttar Pradesh.
CM Yogi emphasized that the Sainik School in Gorakhpur, completed in just three years at a cost of Rs 176 crore, will play a pivotal role in shaping future generations. The school, the first of its kind in eastern Uttar Pradesh, will offer residential education for students from classes 6 to 12. He expressed confidence that this Sainik School will contribute to nation-building and the creation of a developed India by instilling a sense of duty and responsibility in its students.
The Chief Minister highlighted that the first Sainik School in the country was established in Lucknow in 1960 by then Chief Minister Sampurnanand. Following this, in 1961, the then Defense Minister initiated the establishment of five new Sainik Schools.
Welcoming Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, CM Yogi said: “It is a great honor to have this Sainik School inaugurated by Vice President Dhankhar, an alumnus of Chittorgarh Sainik School from 1962 to 1969.”
The Chief Minister noted that the new Sainik School features separate campuses for boys and girls and includes an auditorium named after the country’s first CDS, General Bipin Rawat. Additionally, a multipurpose hall, Eklavya shooting range, and a swimming pool have been constructed in honor of martyr Captain Vikram Batra.
The administrative building reflects ancient Indian culture and tradition and includes 20 classrooms, 4 laboratories, a dining hall, multipurpose hall, and a conference hall.
He further described that the auditorium can accommodate 1,014 seats and includes facilities such as a yoga center for meditation, an indoor shooting range, a swimming pool, and a CSD canteen.
Residential houses for students are named after notable figures such as Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Shaheed Pt. Ram Prasad Bismil, Shaheed Bandhu Singh, and Veerangana Rani Laxmibai. Additionally, Annapurna Bhawan will provide students with clean and nutritious meals every day.
The Chief Minister further mentioned that to enhance both the mental and physical abilities of students at the Sainik School, various sports competitions will be organized at regular intervals. Facilities for different sports, including a basketball court, volleyball court, football ground, tennis court, and badminton court, have been constructed to support these activities.
CM Yogi emphasized the government’s commitment to providing the best education to the new generation. He noted that over 1.56 lakh schools operated by the Basic Education Department are being equipped with essential facilities through public participation and Operation Kayakalp. To date, this work has been completed in 1.34 lakh thousand schools.
He also highlighted that Atal Residential Schools have been operational in all 18 divisional headquarters of the state since the last academic session, and day-care schools will be established in the remaining 57 districts. Under the PM Shri scheme, efforts are underway to advance 1,707 basic and secondary schools by upgrading them with state-of-the-art facilities.
