Priyanka Gandhi Likely to Inaugurate School Rebuilt After 2023 Floods in Mandi on August 18

August 16, 2026

Shimla: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is likely to visit Mandi in Himachal Pradesh on August 18 to inaugurate a school rebuilt after it was damaged in the devastating 2023 floods, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Sunday.

Speaking to ANI, Sukhu said Gandhi is currently in Himachal Pradesh on a private visit and has no official government or party programme scheduled for the school inauguration.

“Priyanka ji does not have any official programme. She has come on a private visit and wants to visit a school that she had taken an interest in during the disaster,” Sukhu said.

School Damaged in 2023 Floods

Sukhu said Gandhi had visited the flood-affected Darang constituency in Mandi district on September 12, 2023, and interacted with residents and students.

Students of Government Senior Secondary School, Deori, had requested Gandhi to support the restoration of their school building, which was damaged during the floods. They also invited her to visit once the new building was completed.

“During the disaster, Priyanka ji had visited the area. The children had requested her to get a new school building constructed. They were worried about when the new building would be ready,” Sukhu said.

According to the Chief Minister, Gandhi subsequently gave directions for construction of the new school building, which has now been completed.

“After she gave the directions, we constructed the school building,” he said.

Visit Not a Government or Party Programme

Sukhu clarified that Gandhi’s proposed visit is neither a government programme nor a formal Congress organisational event.

“This is not a government programme and no organisational programme has been arranged. She wants to go there privately, interact with the children and return,” he said.

He added that the exact date of the visit would be finalised shortly.

Gandhi’s proposed visit comes nearly three years after her visit to the flood-hit area in Mandi. During her September 12, 2023 visit, students had requested her support for rebuilding their school and asked her to return once the new building was ready.