Army flags off Integration tour in Naharkatia

Namrup, 07 Jan : The National Integration Tour organised by Dao Division was  flagged at Naharkatia on Sunday.

Altogether 22 students and two teachers from districts of Dibrugarh, Cheraideo and Longding (Arunachal Pradesh) participated in the tour. The tour was organised with a bigger aim of offering exposure to the students about the varied cultures of India.

  These meritorious students were selected through a series of general test and interviews from 14 schools in Dibrugarh, Charaideo and Longding district of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.  

During the tour, the children visited various historical places around Delhi, Agra and Jaipur including Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Jaipur palace, Rashtrapathi Bhawan and Parliament. The visit to the Rashtrapathi Bhavan and  subsequent meeting with the President  Ramnath Kovind was the high point of the tour. Besides, these students also got a chance to meet the Chief Of Army Staff, Gen Bipin Rawat.  

In an elaborate flagging in ceremony, students were received warmly by the people in Naharkatia Stadium. Students said that this tour would be marked as one of the best moments in their life.

“We travelled to the North India for the first time and have never seen the other side of country. Meeting the President Of India and Army Chief was just like a dream come true” said Shakthi Nag, a student from Borahat HS School, who participated in the tour. 

The parents of the students thanked Army for the wonderful initiative. “I am grateful to Army for organising the tour. This tour was of great inspiration to all the students to do well in life. Army should conduct more such programs. I am happy that my son got this opportunity” said Biswajith Nag, a proud father of a son who participated in the tour.  

The flagging in ceremony also witnessed various cultural performances, notably Wangshu dance performed by the chieftain of Otongkhua, a remote village in the Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh.  

The ceremony also included medical camp  and a pre recruitment rally in which more than 500 students took part. In addition, a mini trade fair was also set which showcased rich heritage of the region in the form  of handicrafts and Assamese handwoven work. A weapon display enunciating modernisation of Army was also put up for public in the ceremony.  

The flagging in ceremony witnessed many senior military officials and civil dignitaries including Naharkatia MLA, Mr. Naren Sonowal were present. 

The event was a spectacular success and the army officials thanked the people for their great support and patronage for the program.