Shimla, March 11 -- Newly sworn-in governor Kavinder Gupta on Tuesday reached out to the people of Himachal Pradesh, promising to act as a bridge with the Union government to accelerate development in the hill state. Addressing his first press conference after being administered the oath of office by high court chief justice GS Sandhawalia at Lok Bhavan in Shimla, Gupta emphasised on a collaborative approach. "I will work collectively with all stakeholders to ensure the state's potential is fully realised," he said. Highlighting the state's economic engine, he identified tourism as a core focus. "There is immense scope for growth in this region, particularly in religious tourism. We will strive to create a dedicated roadmap for this in the near future," the governor said. Gupta's oath taking ceremony began with the singing of Vande Mataram, followed by the National Anthem. Vande Mataram was also sung again after the oath-taking ceremony concluded Turning his attention to the state's youngsters, 66-year-old Gupta echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for a Viksit Bharat by 2047. He noted that with 65% of India's population being young, the priority must shift from job-seeking to job-creating. "I want our youth to lead through entrepreneurship," he said, stressing on the importance of sports and technology to steer them away from social challenges like drug abuse. He lauded Himachal's environmental contribution, saying that the state's green cover remains a cornerstone of India's environmental protection efforts. Gupta's appointment as the Himachal Pradesh governor on March 5 came on the heels of a turbulent seven-month tenure as the lieutenant governor of Ladakh. Appointed in July 2025, his time in the Union Territory was marked by intense protests from the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) over demands for statehood. The unrest saw the detention of activist Sonam Wangchuk and a breakdown in dialogue with local leaders. Reflecting on that period, Gupta noted that he had travelled to the most remote border villages. He now plans a similar grassroots approach in Himachal: "I will undertake an extensive tour of all 12 districts within the next three to four months to understand local issues firsthand." An RSS veteran who was imprisoned for 13 months during the Emergency, Gupta's career includes serving as the mayor of Jammu (2005-10) and the first BJP Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly in 2015. In 2018, he held the office of deputy chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Gupta succeeds Shiv Pratap Shukla, who was appointed as the governor of Telangana....