For a state, which has witnessed significant out-migration from its hill villages, stories of young people choosing to build their careers while staying connected to Uttarakhand carry a particular significance.
One such example is Pandavaas, the Uttarakhand-based folk-fusion band that has spent years taking the state’s music, stories and cultural traditions to wider audiences.
Now, the band has made a public appeal to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, saying its payment for work carried out around the 38th National Games in Uttarakhand remains pending nearly two years later.
In a letter addressed to CM Dhami, Pandavaas said it composed the National Games theme song, performed at several events during the Mashal Yatra (Torch Relay) and was also part of the inaugural ceremony. The band said it undertook the work with the aim of presenting Uttarakhand’s culture and identity to audiences from across India.
According to the band, bills for work carried out in December 2024 and January 2025 remained unpaid as of September 2026.
Pandavaas says repeated complaints brought no solution
In its appeal, Pandavaas said it had approached several official channels to resolve the payment issue.
The band said its first complaint through the CM Helpline was closed without the matter being resolved. It said a subsequent complaint also remained pending.
Pandavaas further said it approached the Sports Department, the Sports Minister, concerned officials and the helpline desk at the Chief Minister’s residence, but had not received a concrete resolution.
The band said it was earlier told that funds or budget were unavailable and that it should cooperate. According to its letter, it accepted the situation and completed its responsibilities, expecting the payment issue to be resolved later.
It now says phone calls are no longer being answered and messages have not received a response.
“If payments for other artists and vendors have already been cleared, why is Pandavaas’s payment still pending?” the band asked in its letter.