Gora Padao is an India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

n village 4 km south of Haldwani

Haldwani

Haldwani is a city, which along with its twin township of Kathgodam forms the Haldwani-Kathgodam municipal board in Nainital District in the Indian state of Uttarakhand....

 is named after a British camp/post at that location in the mid-19th century. In 1856, Henry Ramsay

Henry Ramsay

Henry Ramsay is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Craig McLachlan. He made his first on-screen appearance on 19 February 1987. Henry is the only son of Fred and Madge Mitchell and brother to Charlene and Sam Cole. Henry was known as a joker and was always...

 took over as the Commissioner of Kumaon

Kumaon Division

For Kumaoni/Kumauni People see Kumauni PeopleKumaon or Kumaun is one of the two regions and administrative divisions of Uttarakhand, a mountainous state of northern India, the other being Garhwal. It includes the districts of Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar...

.

The village population is about 5,000. The landmark of this village is 'Chandrawati Tewari Girls College' named after the aunt of Narayan Dutt Tiwari

Narayan Dutt Tiwari

Narayan Dutt Tiwari is an Indian political figure. He was Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh three times during the 1970s and 1980s and was Chief Minister of Uttarkhand from 2002 to 2007...

, one of the top political leaders of India and former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. The oldest temple

Temple

A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...

 (100 years) in the village is Kali

Kali

' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...

 temple maintained by the Pandey

Pandey

Pandey Sanskrit is a surname of the Hindu Brahmins communities of Northern and Central India .-Derivation:Pandey's : Well known for the the Superior Castes in Brahmin's...

 family with the help of local people.

Defence Agricultural Research Laboratory

Gora Padao is also known for the Defence Agricultural Research Laboratory run by Defence Research and Development Organisation

Defence Research and Development Organisation

The Defence Research and Development Organisation is a agency of the Republic of India, responsible for the development of technology for use by the military, headquartered in New Delhi, India...

 (DRDO). The importance of high altitude agricultural research was realized when troops had to be deployed in high altitude and snow bound areas.

The first Prime Minister of India

Prime Minister of India

The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...

, Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru wrote to the renowned botanist, the late Prof. Boshi Sen , then Director, Vivekanand Laboratory , Almora

Almora

Almora is a municipal board, a cantonment town in the Almora district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Almora was founded in 1568.It is a town bustling with activity and a rich cultural heritage and history. It is considered the cultural heart of the Kumaon region of...

 in January 1960. Realizing the indispensability of encompassing the diversified agro-ecological zones of Central Himalayas, field stations were opened in the remote border areas at Auli

Auli

Auli, is an important ski destination in the Himalayan mountains of Uttarakhand, India. Auli is known as 'Bugyal' in the regional language which means meadow. In fact some French and Australian experts consider Auli to be one of the best ski resorts in the world. Auli is less known ski destination...

 (3142 m) and Pithoragarh

Pithoragarh

Pithoragarh, is a city with a Municipal Board in the Pithoragarh district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, was carved out of district of Almora in 1962.-Geography:...

 (1524 m) in April 1972 with the controlling office at Almora

Almora

Almora is a municipal board, a cantonment town in the Almora district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Almora was founded in 1568.It is a town bustling with activity and a rich cultural heritage and history. It is considered the cultural heart of the Kumaon region of...

 (1530 m). Another detachment was established at Harsil

Harsil

Harsil is a village and a cantonment area, on the banks of Bhagirathi River, on the way to Hindu pilgrimage, Gangotri, in Uttarkashi district of Indian state of Uttarakhand )....

 (3243 m) in May 1973 and transit base at Gora Padao (333 m) in June 1981 to provide logistic support for undertaking research work in difficult areas. The laboratory has successfully introduced hydroponics

Hydroponics

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel, mineral wool, or coconut husk.Researchers discovered in the 18th...

 and established the greenhouse

Greenhouse

A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...

cultivation of vegetables and flowers in polar regions for the first time ever in the history of Indian Antarctic Expeditions.