Army organise educational tours for Kashmiri children

Srinagar, Aug 19 (UNI) Besides counter-insurgency operations and guarding the borders from enemy, the Army, in its continued efforts to provide quality education to children, has been organising educational and motivational tours for the children of far-flung and remote areas of the valley.

A defence ministry spokesman said 313 Field Regiment, under the agesis of XV Corps Artillery Brigade, has organized an educational and motivational tour for 18 children from Army Good Will School, Ziran (Tangmarg) in north Kashmir.

Under the 15-day ''Sarvatra Sadbhavan'' tour from today, the children accompanied by two teachers would be introduced to metropolitan lifestyle at Delhi, Hyderabad and Pune.

The students will be visiting the Red Fort, Indian Gate, Jantar Mantar, Golconda Fort, Charminar, Salar Jung Museum, National Defence Academy and Sinhgarh Fort of Gureilla Warfare fame along with visit to hi-tech amusement park like Appu Ghar, Ocean Park, Ramoji Film City and laser show in Lumbi Park.

The students would also be visiting Rashtrapati Bhavan and Parliament, besides meeting dignitaries on the way.

The entire event, sponsored by the Indian Army, includes transportation lodging, boarding, kitting and all allied expenses.

These educational tours are part of activities initiated under Operation Sadbhavana and are organised to introduce the children of the valley to the culture, diversity and development in other parts of the country.

The tour is particularly aimed at encouraging the children to get a first-hand experience of the tremendous career options available and to motivate them to compete at the national level, thereby amalgamating them with the national mainstream.

Their experience during the tour will help them to have first-hand information on the economic progress, military might and social fabric of the nation.

The tour was flagged off today from Ziran (Tangmarg) by Major General K N Mirji of the Northern Command in presence of Brigadier Kamaljit Singh Commander of XV Corps Artillery Brigade.

UNI