NEW DELHI: NIT students from North East including C.Lalengmawia from NIT Meghalaya, who completed the ‘In Residence’ programme in Rashtrapti Bhawan highlighted the need to integrate North-East with ASEAN countries on Friday.
The six students from fives states of North East said the integration of the landlocked region with neighbouring ASEAN countries can boost its economy besides opening up new avenues and bring the region close to some of the fastest growing economy.
At the same time scholars highlighted the need for world class infrastructure, sustainable development, utilization of the demographic dividend and protection of environment. They also spoke about building an India free from poverty, inequality and exploitation.
Some of the scholars volunteered to adopt villages near their institutions and to work for the betterment of the people. They also emphasized the importance of giving back to society and making India cleaner and greener.
Apart from Lalengmawia, an undergraduate student of Computer Science and engineering in NIT Meghalaya, two scholars including one Ph.D degree holder from Assam and one each from Manipur, Sikkim and Tripura were among the students from the region to undergo the first ever ‘In Residence’ programme at the President’s house.
A total of 17 NIT students from across the country attended the programme.
As part of the programme, the NIT scholars stayed in Rashtrapati Bhavan from April 11 to April l7. Their activities included interaction with Ministry of HRD officials, visits to local industries, IIT Delhi and NIT Delhi as well as an interactive workshop at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Addressing the scholars, President Pranab Mukherjee said he was impressed by their willingness to take on challenges with courage and find solutions.
He said if the youth of our country maintain this spirit, India will be able to overcome all the challenges that confront it.
The President said that the people of India have waited for long and the youth are impatient. There is a need to make haste and move forward towards our goals with confidence. He called upon the NIT scholars to make the best use of the skills imparted to them by their institutions and plunge into the task of reshaping the nation.
The President described the youth of today as the new, IT savvy generation and asked them to do their utmost for the development and progress of India.
Mukherjee described youth as the light of our nation and called upon them to fulfill their dreams by marching ahead with confidence and determination.
