When was Himachal Pradesh officially elevated from the status of a Union Territory to become the 18th full-fledged state of the Indian Union?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Himachal Pradesh attained full statehood on January 25, 1971, following the enactment of the State of Himachal Pradesh Act by Parliament in 1970, with Dr. Y.S. Parmar serving as the first Chief Minister of the newly formed state. Prior to this, it had functioned as a Part 'C' state, a Union Territory, and had incorporated additional Punjabi-speaking hill areas in 1966 such as Kullu, Kangra, Shimla, and Lahul-Spiti. This milestone fulfilled the long-standing aspirations of the hill people for self-determination and regional development.