Rishabh Pant writes to Uttarakhand CM seeking help to buy land in his home state

India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant posted a late-night appeal on X at 00:46 AM IST on August 8, 2026, tagging Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and requesting assistance with a land purchase in the state. The post gathered significant attention in a post that has now gone viral across the social media platforms.

Pant, who hails from Uttarakhand, wrote on his official X account that he had been trying to shift his base from Delhi to Uttarakhand for three years without success. He described the acquisition process as a nightmare and said he had been unable to get clarity despite sustained efforts. He also mentioned that land he was supposedly set to receive while promoting the state had not come through.

His appeal was directed at CM Dhami by name. In the same post, Pant addressed the question of whether he was seeking a gift.

"A gift would be lovely for representation of our states at the highest level on international stages, but if you allow me, I want to buy it from the government, and at their rates, at least I can have my first house built in my own state," Pant mentioned further.

Pant also expressed his desire to return to Uttarakhand to be closer to his Pahadi people and to contribute to the state's development. His family already has a house in Roorkee in Uttarakhand. The post was made while Pant was in Sri Lanka with the Indian cricket team, where he was seen keeping wickets during a warm-up match against Sri Lanka XI in Colombo on Friday.

CM Dhami's response to Pant's appeal

CM Dhami responded to the appeal on the same day.

"Dear Rishabh, you are the pride of Uttarakhand. Through your magnificent sporting performance and achievements, you have brought glory to 'Devbhoomi' on both the national and global stages. Your love for your homeland and your desire to return and contribute here are truly commendable. Instructions are being issued to the concerned officials regarding the matter you raised. They will contact you shortly to ensure all possible assistance in accordance with the rules," Dhami responded.

Pant is part of India's squad for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, which is scheduled to begin on August 15 in Galle. India are using the warm-up fixture against Sri Lanka XI in Colombo as preparation for the series when Pant made the late-night post from the tour.