New Delhi: The Vice Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Prof. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, flagged off a group of students from Delhi for NIT Silchar in Assam on Wednesday as part of the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Yuva Sangam programme, an initiative by the Government of India to strengthen people-to-people connections, especially amongst the youth belonging to North Eastern India and other states.

The group is composed of 50 students and five faculty members from Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, Indira Gandhi National Open University, and Indraprastha University. JNU is the nodal agency on behalf of the Ministry of Education for this exposure trip.

Prof. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, while addressing the Flag off ceremony, said, ” Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Yuva Sangam is a great national integration initiative for uniting India. JNU is pleased to join this wonderful nationalistic cause. I personally feel that all students are really happy to be part of this wonderful initiative. We may have different languages, different thought processes, and different food habits, but we are all united by the heart, and that is the spirit of India.” 

The delegate members will stay in Silchar from April 1 through April 5, 2023 to become acquainted with the culture and traditions of the region. As a part of this visit later on the side-lines, the group will visit the neighbouring districts of Haflong, Badarpur and Karim Ganj, adjoining Borakhai tea estate, the Borail eco-park, and vice versa.

“The Ministry of Education is playing the role of a catalyst and providing all the logistics and funds,” she further added.

The objective of “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Yuva Sangam” is to forge connections between the youth of the North Eastern States and the rest of India. The Ministry of Education, Government of India has conceptualized this initiative of ‘Yuva Sangam’ under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat in collaboration with various other ministries and departments such as Culture, Tourism, Railways, Information & Broadcasting, Youth Affairs & Sports, Home Affairs, Department for Development of North-East Region (DoNER) and IRCTC. 

Promotion of tourism, tradition, advancement of technology, and mutual contact are also on the agenda. During their visits, the youth will have a multi-dimensional exposure under five broad areas – Paryatan (Tourism), Parampara (Traditions), Pragati (Development), Prodyogik (Technology) and Paraspar Sampark (People-to-people connect).