Patratu wins Silver Banyan Award at The Week Heritage Awards 2026

RANCHI: Patratu in Jharkhand has received the Silver Banyan Award in the Riverside Heritage category at The Week Heritage Awards 2026, according to a press release issued by the state government’s Department of Information and Public Relations on Tuesday.

Jharkhand Tourism Secretary Mukesh Kumar and Tourism Director Naman Priyesh Lakra received the award at a ceremony held at the Prime Ministers’ Museum and Library in New Delhi, the release said.

Commenting on the recognition, Kumar said, “This national honour for Patratu highlights Jharkhand’s rich natural heritage, its developing tourism facilities and the continued efforts to establish the state among the country’s leading tourism destinations.”

Organised by The Week magazine, the awards recognise tourism destinations, cultural heritage sites and initiatives associated with heritage conservation and tourism promotion. The ceremony was attended by Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat as the chief guest, according to the state government.

Patratu is known for its natural landscape, valleys and reservoir. Tourism facilities developed around the Patratu reservoir include boating, a floating restaurant and a musical fountain, the state government said.

The award gives the destination national recognition in the Riverside Heritage category. However, the government release does not provide visitor figures or other data to quantify the award’s potential impact on tourism.

Focus on tourism infrastructure and local livelihoods

The state government said it was working to promote Jharkhand’s natural and cultural heritage through infrastructure development, expanded visitor facilities and improved tourism experiences.

It has also identified local community participation and employment generation as priorities. Tourism-related activities can create opportunities in hospitality, food services, transport and the sale of local products. The scale of these benefits at Patratu would need to be assessed through visitor numbers, local employment and business activity.

Kumar praised departmental officials, the local administration and others involved in developing the Patratu tourism project, according to the press release. He expressed confidence that the award would encourage further development of tourism destinations, strengthen visitor facilities and increase local community participation.

Patratu’s long-term tourism prospects will depend on the quality of infrastructure, visitor services, environmental management and the extent to which surrounding communities benefit from tourism activity.