Collector unveils election mascot for the Nilgiris

The Nilgiris District Collector, Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru, on Monday unveiled a mascot – the Nilgiri flycatcher, a species of bird native to the Western Ghats, as part of an awareness initiative aimed at voters in the district.

The district administration said that the mascot, named “Neela” was designed to create awareness among young voters to exercise their franchise during the elections in 2026. The slogan for the mascot was also unveiled “Voice of hills – our vote.” The design was also shown to young, first-time voters at the Government Arts College in Udhagamandalam. An awareness campaign was also held at the college to encourage youngsters to vote in the elections.

The Nilgiris district administration also announced a local holiday on January 7, 2026 on account of Hethai Amman festival, the biggest annual festival of the Badagas. All government offices and educational institutions will remain closed on the day, it said.