Dehradun

Dehradun
Dēharādūna
Dehra Doon
Metropolis
Nickname: 
Doon
Dehradun is located in Uttarakhand
Dehradun
Dehradun
Dehradun is located in India
Dehradun
Dehradun
Coordinates: 30°20′42″N 78°01′44″E / 30.345°N 78.029°E / 30.345; 78.029
Country India
State Uttarakhand
DistrictDehradun
Founded1817
Municipality1867
Government
 • TypeMayor–Council
 • BodyDehradun Municipal Corporation
 • MayorSunil Uniyal (BJP)
 • Municipal CommissionerManuj Goyal,[1] IAS
Area
[2][3]
 • Metropolis
196.48 km2 (75.86 sq mi)
 • Metro
300 km2 (100 sq mi)
Elevation
450 m (1,480 ft)
Population
[2][4][5]
 • Metropolis
803,983 (2,018)
 • Rank79th
 • Metro
[6]
1,279,083 (2,021)
Languages
 • OfficialHindi[7]
 • Additional officialSanskrit[8][9]
 • RegionalGarhwali,[10] Jaunsari[11]
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
248001
Telephone code+91-135
Vehicle registrationUK-07
HDI (2016)Increase 0.816 (very high)[12]
Websitedehradun.nic.in

Dehradun (/ˌdɛrəˈduːn/, ISO: Dēharādūna), also known as Dehra Doon, is the winter capital[13] and the most populous city of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous district and is governed by the Dehradun Municipal Corporation, with the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly holding its winter sessions in the city as its winter capital.[13] Part of the Garhwal region, and housing the headquarters of its Divisional Commissioner, Dehradun is one of the "Counter Magnets" of the National Capital Region (NCR) being developed as an alternative centre of growth to help ease the migration and population explosion in the Delhi metropolitan area and to establish a smart city in the Himalayas.[14][15]

Dehradun is located in the Doon Valley on the foothills of the Himalayas nestled between Song River, a tributary of Ganges on the east and the Asan River, a tributary of Yamuna on the west. The city is noted for its picturesque landscape and provides a gateway to the surrounding region.

Dehradun is a notable academic and research hub and is home to the Indian Military Academy, Forest Research Institute, Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, the Doon School, Welham Boys School, Welham Girls School, Brightlands School, Rashtriya Indian Military College, Uttarakhand Ayurveda University, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology and the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing. It is the headquarters of the Surveyor-General of India. According to the combined survey based on health, infrastructure, economy, education, and crime, conducted by Dainik Jagran and KPMG, Dehradun is one of India's safest cities.[16][17] Dehradun is also known for its Basmati rice and bakery products.

Also known as the "Abode of Drona",[18] Dehradun has been an important centre for Garhwal rulers, which was first captured by Gorkha Kings, in January 1804, and then by the British. For its strategic value, in addition to the location of its principal service academy, the Indian Armed Forces maintain a considerable presence in Dehradun, at the Garhi Cantonment and Naval Station. The Uttarakhand Police is the primary law enforcement agency in the city.[19]

It is well connected and in proximity to Himalayan tourist destinations such as Mussoorie, Dhanaulti, Chakrata, New Tehri, Uttarkashi, Harsil, Chopta-Tungnath, Auli, and summer and winter hiking destinations like the Valley of Flowers at Dodital, Dayara Bugyal, Kedarkantha, Har Ki Dun and Hemkunt Sahib for camping and Himalayan panoramic views. The Hindu holy cities of Haridwar and Rishikesh, along with the Himalayan pilgrimage circuit of Chota Char Dham, viz. Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath, are also primarily accessed via Dehradun, the closest major city.

  1. ^ "Nagar Nigam". Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Dehradoon City was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference area was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Provisional Population Totals, Census of India 2011; Cities having population 1 lakh and above" (PDF). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 May 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  5. ^ "Provisional Population Totals, Census of India 2011; Urban Agglomerations/Cities having population 1 lakh and above" (PDF). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 April 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  6. ^ "Dehradun". Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  7. ^ "52nd Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India" (PDF). nclm.nic.in. Ministry of Minority Affairs. p. 47. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  8. ^ "Sanskrit is second official language in Uttarakhand". Hindustan Times. 19 January 2010. Archived from the original on 27 June 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  9. ^ "Sanskrit second official language of Uttarakhand". The Hindu. 21 January 2010. Archived from the original on 3 March 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  10. ^ "Garhwali". Ethnologue. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  11. ^ "Jaunsari". Ethnologue. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  12. ^ "HDI LIST" (PDF). ssca.org.in. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  13. ^ a b "Gairsain declared summer capital of Uttarakhand". The Week. 8 June 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  14. ^ "Delhi to get 'counter magnet cities' - Indian Express". The Indian Express. 27 August 2010. Archived from the original on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  15. ^ "SmartCity, Dehradun". smartcitydehradun.uk.gov.in. Archived from the original on 25 March 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  16. ^ "This Indian city is best to live in, but not safest; the safest city is Dehradun". Financial Express. 14 November 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  17. ^ "देहरादून स्मार्ट सिटी को सुरक्षा की श्रेणी में अवार्ड". Dainik Jagran (in Hindi). 20 March 2022. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  18. ^ Kumar, Rakesh (11 August 2018). "A lush green paradise". The Statesman. Retrieved 8 December 2022. [...]While in the Mahabharata, it was an abode of Drona, the mighty Guru of the Kaurvas and Pandavas.
  19. ^ "Organization Setup". uttarakhandpolice.uk.gov.in. Retrieved 8 December 2022.