This article is primarily based on a study of more than a thousand documents consulted in the Integrated Library of the Tribune Trust, Chandigarh. These documents, largely comprising news items, special reports by staff correspondents or representatives, feature articles, editorials, and letters to the editor, have escaped the attention and scrutiny of researchers and historians of modern Himachal Pradesh. What is fascinating to note is that the word Himachal Pradesh' was coined at the Solan conclave held during 26 28 January 1948, 2 years before India became a democratic republic; however, Himachal Day is celebrated since 15 April 1948. This article discusses the genesis of and the circumstances that led to the participation of the masses of the Western Himalayan princely states in the Suket Satyagraha, and describes how subsequent events in the Himalayan Prant' culminated in the creation of what a Tribune correspondent called a new star on India's firmament—the present-day state of Himachal Pradesh.