To acquaint themselves with their ancestral roots, a group of 40 Indian-origin youth from eight countries met Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh under the 53rd Edition of ‘Know India Programme’.
Ministry of External Affairs of India organises the ‘Know India Programme’ with the objective of familiarising the India Diaspora Youth, in the age group of 18-30 years, with developments and achievements made by the country and bringing them closer to the land of their ancestors.
“The programme provides a unique forum for students and young professionals of India origin to visit India, share their views, expectations and experiences and to bond closely with the contemporary India,” said an official statement.
The Know India Programme for Young Indian Diaspora of this year involves 40 participants (24 female and 16 males) from Fiji, Guyana, Mauritius, Portugal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago. The partner states of this edition are Maharashtra and Daman & Diu.
Dr Jitendra Singh interacted with the youth and discussed with them experiences of their visit to India. He said that this programme provides an opportunity for these youth to learn about and know their roots and share experiences.
The Minister spoke about the role of ‘people to people’ connect in improving the relations between the countries. He said that the world has now shrunk due to improved connectivity that has reduced the physical barriers. The new modes of communication have resulted in direct connections with people across national boundaries.
The Indian-origin youths were excited about coming to their ancestral land. They said that the Know India Programme helps them understand the Indian traditions, heritage and their family connections. They also recalled the visits paid by their families to India in the past. The youth also shared the influences which they have from India e.g. IT industry, Bollywood, Indian cuisine and sports etc.
The Minister also discussed with them other aspects including their educational and professional background, the states to which their ancestors belong etc.
Speaking about the progress made by India during the last five years, Dr Jitendra Singh said that India has been projected globally by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He added that India is not less than any other country in the field of space technology.
He also mentioned Government programmes such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, International Yoga Day, and others.
The participants who are on a visit to India from January 23 to February 16, have visited Maharashtra, Daman & Diu and Agra. They are in Delhi where they visited historical monuments and cultural places.