President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on Wednesday met participants of the 8th Know India Programme at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
New Delhi, Jan 16 : President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on Wednesday met participants of the 8th Know India Programme at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
President Patil had a very lively interaction with the over 30 participants who came from Canada, Fiji, Guyana, Israel, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Reunion Islands, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
She said on return to their respective countries the participants would become ambassadors for India and was happy that the programme allows youth of Indian origin to meet with Indian youth to create long lasting contacts.
President Patil was keen to what was the impression of the participants about India before and after participating in the programme, a government release said.
To this the participants responded that after visiting both rural and urban areas, they were struck by the India's rising economic power, high level of motivation of the people, the intelligence of its people, the country's globalised nature, its vibrancy, love and hospitality of the people despite progress, advances in urban infrastructure and the progress of its women.
President Patil also talked about the problem areas and challenges faced by the country, such as poverty and illiteracy, reduction of which is being focused on by the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Programme of the Centre.
The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has been organising this programme with the objective of familiarising the younger generation of the Indian Diaspora with the country.
The programme involves a three-week stay in the country by the participants in the age group of 20 to 28 years. The Tamil Nadu Government and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) are partners with the Central Government.
ANI