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PM Modi Recalls 2016 Diwali Visit To Chango, Hails Development In Border Village
Sneha | July 26, 2026 8:41 PM CST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday recalled his 2016 Diwali visit to Chango, a border village in Himachal Pradesh, during an interaction with a traveller named Nikita, who shared her experiences of meeting local residents and witnessing development in the remote region.

Speaking during the interaction with participants of the Viksit Vibrant Village Programme, Modi noted that he traditionally spends Diwali with Indian soldiers stationed along the country's borders and said it was a coincidence that he had visited the Chango area during the 2016 festival.

"You may know that every Diwali I visit our soldiers at the border. Coincidentally, in 2016 I had spent Diwali in the Chango region. Did you get an opportunity to meet the women village heads or other local representatives there?" the Prime Minister asked.

Responding to the Prime Minister, Nikita said she met village heads, panchayat representatives, women, farmers, elderly residents and children during her visit.

She said she was particularly impressed by a woman village head who balanced multiple responsibilities.

"I learnt that she manages her household, looks after farming and also does a job. It reminded me of a famous Hindi film dialogue: 'She is a woman; she can do anything,'" Nikita said.

Villagers Highlight Infrastructure Improvements

The Prime Minister then asked whether villagers had spoken about the challenges they faced or any unique aspects of life in the border region.

Nikita said she had travelled from Reckong Peo to Chango expecting poor connectivity after seeing social media videos claiming there was no mobile network or electricity in the area.

However, she said her experience was very different.

"I saw well-built roads running through steep mountains and difficult terrain. When I asked villagers about it, they told me things were not always like this and that they had faced many hardships earlier," she said.

According to Nikita, the residents credited the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana for improving road connectivity in the remote border villages.

She added that villagers also told her that while they previously did not have piped drinking water at home, they now receive it under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

Nikita further said the locals laughed when they learnt she had carried a power bank expecting frequent power cuts.

"They told me there is round-the-clock electricity and mobile network connectivity now. They also said the Ayushman Bharat scheme has strengthened their confidence in accessing healthcare and made life easier," she said.

What Is Viksit Vibrant Village Programme?

The Viksit Vibrant Village Programme 2026 was organised in two phases from June 4 to June 30, covering 74 vibrant villages across Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Over 400 youth participants, representing every State and Union Territory, were selected through a nationwide online quiz competition that witnessed participation from more than three lakh youth, the statement added.

As part of the programme, participants lived with local communities and undertook activities such as Swachhta drives, awareness campaigns on Government schemes, Yuva Sammelans, cultural exchange programmes, tree plantation drives, Mini Model Panchayat simulations, interactions with local artisans and visits to institutions of strategic importance.

The programme provided participants with first-hand exposure to the socio-economic landscape, cultural heritage and developmental aspirations of India's frontier regions, while fostering community participation, national integration and a deeper understanding of the strategic importance of border villages, the statement said.

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