Port Blair, April 24: A team of selected students from various Higher Educational Institutions of A & N Islands left for NIT Jamshedpur, Jharkhand today to participate in ‘Yuva Sangam’ Phase-II programme under ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ (EBSB) scheme. The idea of ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’, a sustained and structured cultural connect among people of different regions was mooted by Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi during the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas held on 31st October, 2015, to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
The Secretary (Education), Shri Yash Chaudhary, IAS flagged of the team in two batches in the presence of Director (Education), Shri Aditya Kumar Jha at a brief function held at the ITF Ground, VIP road here this morning. The Secretary (Education) and Director (Education) also interacted with the students and faculty members and extended their best wishes to the team from A&N Islands. The Joint Secretary, (IT), Shri Utpal Sharma, Principals of Higher Educational Institutions of A & N Islands were also present during the flag off ceremony.
Elated students adorned with T-Shirts, caps depicting Yuva Sangam-EBSB and singing patriotic songs boarded the buses for their onward journey by flight from Veer Savarkar International Airport. The joy was visible among those students who are the first timers to visit mainland India.
The A&N team comprising of 45 selected students from various Higher Educational Institutions of A & N Islands and four faculties are the participants of the Yuva Sangam’ Phase-II program under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB) scheme which has been devised for youth of different States, with an aim to promote a sense of respect towards each-others’ heritage, culture, customs, traditions to further the spirit of Shreshtha Bharat.
Under Yuva Sangam (Phase-II), exposure tours for 1000 youngsters comprising of students & off-campus youth of 23 States & UTs of India will be conducted. It will provide an immersive, multidimensional experience of various facets under five broad areas of Paryatan (Tourism), Parampara (Traditions), Pragati (Development), Prodyogik (Technology)and Paraspar Sampark (People-to-People Connect). Through the course of the programme, students will interact with each other in the areas of language, literature, cuisine, festivals, cultural events and tourism.
This being the second phase of the ‘Yuva Sangam’ EBSB programme, DBRAIT, A&N Islands has been selected as the Nodal Institute to co-ordinate the event. The team will tour the State of Jharkhand for six days and the programme is being held in association with NIT- Jharkhand. A team of students and faculties from NIT- Jharkhand will also visit A&N Islands in the month of May as part of the youth exchange programme.