Elders from Kashmir border areas leave on India tour

Srinagar, Nov 6 (UNI) The elders from border area of Uri in Jammu and Kashmir today left on a 15-day educational-cum-motivational tour to New Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Ajmer, a defence spokesman said.

He said the Kalapahar Brigade Commander flagged off the tour at Baramulla in north Kashmir this morning.

''Uri is an under-developed area bereft of proper infrastructure facilities. Its people being largely poor and illiterate have more or less remained cut off from the diversity and richness of the country's cultural and historical legacy. Thus, a need was felt to expose them to other parts of India to broaden their horizon of learning and experience,'' the spokesman added.

He said the Kalapahar Brigade, therefore, decided to organise the educational-cum-motivational tour and selected 25 elders in the age group of 45-65 years from the region for the purpose.

The tour was planned for 15 days with a multifarious aim of fostering brotherhood, feeling of unity and creating awareness of India's multi-faceted identity besides seeing its rapid strides towards modernisation, the spokesman added.

He said the elders would visit places of historical importance as well as marvels of modernity of New Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Ajmer.

They will also interact with several dignitaries, the spokesman said, adding the elders plan to spread the message of enlightenment on their return to their brethren in the region.

''The tour will certainly go a long way in strengthening the ideals, integrity, cohesiveness and awareness among the people of Uri, by giving them a glimpse of prosperity and cultural richness of our nation. It will also lead to an amalgam of different cultures and create synergy between people of different regions,'' he said.

UNI