Indian Army organizes educational trip for Kashmiri students

Srinagar, Feb 14 (ANI): The Indian Army organized an educational trip for students of Jammu and Kashmir, with an aim to broaden their outlook and edify them about Indian culture.

A group of forty students from underprivileged families of far-flung areas of Budgam District were sent on a twelve-day tour to various states in the country.

According to the Indian Army officials, the tour was systematized to broaden the horizons of the children, coming form a war-torn region, by showcasing the varied facets of Indian culture.

While speaking to mediapersons in Srinagar on Monday, Brigadier Shivander Singh said that the aim of the trip was to inculcate good values in children.

"This programme for the students is like a future investment as these kids are our future. We want that these kids should learn more and get good education. Education does not only lie in books, one learns from the atmosphere as well. We want these children to become good citizens," he said.

He added that such initiatives would widen their understanding of national integration.

Zahoor Ahmad, a schoolteacher, said that the tour would work as a mind refresher and motivate them to move out of a militancy-affected environment.

"We really liked the tour. These children come from very interior areas and they rarely come out of their homes. Visiting Srinagar is also a very big thing for them. During this trip, they went to New Delhi and travelled in the metro train. They also saw a ship during the trip. This trip helped in refreshing their minds and broadened their horizons. When they move out of the state and observe people in other states, it helps them to learn and develop," he said.

During the tour, the students were taken to states such as New Delhi, West Bengal, as well as southern India.

Mohammad Altaf, a student, said that he would share his experience to his friends back home and also motivate them to participate in the tours.

"The army is taking a lot of initiatives. When we reach home, all of us will tell our friends about the tour and what all we saw and learnt. We will ask them to visit Kolkata or to any other state so that they also learn like we did," Altaf said.

The Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir government often organizes such tours for children of militancy-affected areas in the state so that they get an opportunity to see different variety of cultures and lifestyles of India and gain confidence about realizing their dreams. (ANI)