Sonia Gandhi’s Surprise Visit Puts Shimla’s Potters Hill Arboretum on the Map
Shimla — A quiet afternoon at Potters Hill turned into a memorable one as veteran Congress leader Sonia Gandhi made a surprise visit to the Western Himalayan Temperate Arboretum here at Summer Hill on Friday.
Her presence not only stunned those at the site but also gave a major boost to the visibility of this unique conservation project tucked away in the potters hills of Shimla.
Dr. Vaneet Jishtu, a senior scientist at ICFRE-Himalayan Forest Research Institute (HFRI) and a figure behind the arboretum’s development, was caught completely off guard by her visit.
“I didn’t even know she was coming—she just stepped out of the car and said she had heard about the arboretum and wanted to see it herself,” he shared.
Mrs. Gandhi, known for her interest in environmental issues, walked through the scenic trails of the arboretum with Dr. Jishtu, taking keen interest in the native flora and conservation efforts underway.
She lauded the initiative and expressed her desire to visit again next year.
“It’s a remarkable effort to preserve our Himalayan heritage,” she reportedly said during her visit.
Smt Gandhi has been holidaying at her family home at Charabra in uphill of Shimla city.
She was accompanied by Shri Suman Dubey, Trustee and Executive Member of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, and his wife Mrs. Manjulika, a close friend of Mrs. Gandhi. Both are ardent nature lovers.
She had visited IGMC like a common citizen of Shimla and got some tests done and went back home after a while here yesterday.
Since its inception interest in the arboretum has been surging with locals and tourists alike enquiring about access and details of the site.
The Western Himalayan Temperate Arboretum has been developed by the Wildlife Wing of the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department with technical support from HFRI.
Home to more than 140 species of native trees from the western Himalayas, the arboretum serves as a living museum for rare and endangered flora, a research site for scientists, and an educational space for students and nature lovers.
Dr. Jishtu’s tireless work on the arboretum has already received national attention, and with this high-profile visit, the site is now gaining traction as a promising destination for nature tourism and ecological education in Himachal Pradesh.
But Dr Jishtu Deserves some bigger national honour for doing what no one has done before for preserving the rare fast vanishing native flora of western Himalayas!
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