Reconstruction Of Rishabh Pant's Ancestral Home Begins In Pithoragarh

The reconstruction of cricketer Rishabh Pant’s ancestral home in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district has create a buzz in Pali-Amdali, with villagers hoping the renovated house will encourage him to return to the place where he spent part of his childhood.

Pant’s mother, Saroj Pant, visited the village on August 4 for the first time in nearly two decades.

She stayed for five days and, during her visit, looked for a contractor to undertake the reconstruction of the old and dilapidated family house.

“Rishabh‘s mother has initiated the reconstruction of the old house. We hope that once the house is ready, Rishabh will be able to spend more time in the village,” said Madan Mohan Pant, Rishabh’s uncle and a resident of Pali village.

The family’s association

with the village goes back several decades. Villagers said Rishabh’s grandfather left the area around 60 years ago in search of employment and eventually settled in Roorkee. About 20 years ago, he brought Rishabh to the village. The cricketer was around seven years old at the time and spent part of his childhood there.

The rebuilding of the ancestral house also comes amid Pant’s recent efforts to reconnect more closely with Uttarakhand. Last week, he appealed to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami through X for help in purchasing land in the state, saying he wanted to return and shift his ‘base’ from Delhi to Uttarakhand.

Dhami described Pant as the “pride of Uttarakhand” and assured him that the government would extend support in accordance with the rules. He also said concerned officials would contact Pant soon regarding the request.

For residents of Pali-Amdali, however, better connectivity remains an important concern. Villagers said the roughly 11-kilometre road leading to the area needs to be converted into a paved road. Pant’s ancestral house, meanwhile, is located around 1.5 kilometres from the existing road and needs to be connected to the road network.

Village head Vinod Kumar said, “If Rishabh visits the village after the house is built, it will inspire local youth and instil a sense of pride across the entire region.”

Lalit Pant, another of Rishabh’s uncles, said the reconstruction of the family home underlines the cricketer’s continuing connection with his roots and the hill region. He added that Pant’s bond with his ancestral village sends a positive message to Pithoragarh and the wider hill region.