President of India Inaugurates Bastar Pandum 2026 in Chhattisgarh | 11 Feb 2026

Why in News? 

The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, inaugurated Bastar Pandum 2026 in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh. 

Key Points: 

• Cultural Significance: Bastar Pandum marks the cultural ethos of local communities, with celebrations tied to seasonal and agricultural cycles, reflecting the vibrancy of tribal life. 
  • The President highlighted that Bastar’s traditions — such as the famed Bastar Dussehra dedicated to Goddess Danteshwari — remain vibrant and rooted in the region’s history. 
• Challenges: The Bastar region suffered from decades of Maoist insurgency, causing hardship for local inhabitants. 
• Welfare: A significant number of former Maoist participants have surrendered and returned to the mainstream, with government support through welfare schemes and livelihood opportunities. 
  • Government efforts have expanded basic services — including electricity, roads, water, and the reopening of schools — enhancing living standards in rural Bastar. 
  • Programs such as PM-JANMAN Yojana and Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan are being implemented to reach deprived tribal villages with development benefits. 
• Emphasis: The President emphasised that education is key to community growth. 
  • This led to the establishment of Eklavya Model Residential Schools in tribal areas.