The present Raj Bhavan of Dehradun was built in 1902. Earlier it was known as "Court House", where the then Governor of United Provinces often used to reside.
With the creation of the State of Uttarakhand, the Raj Bhavan was temporarily established at Bijapur House located on New Cantt Road in Dehradun. Subsequently, the Circuit House of Dehradun was re-designated as Raj Bhavan and the first Governor of Uttarakhand, Surjit Singh Barnala, shifted there on 25 December 2000. In the post-Independence period, India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru used to stay in this building whenever he visited Dehradun. From time to time, various Presidents of India and almost all Indian Prime Ministers, so far, have stayed in this historic building.
The sprawling lawns, Bonsai Garden and rich floral species add to the areal beauty of the Raj Bhavan. The Auditorium of Raj Bhavan is a special venue where various important events e.g. oath-taking ceremonies, seminars, book-release functions and cultural programmes etc. are organised.[3]
