A group of Indian Origin youth visiting India under ‘Know India Programme’ (KIP) called on the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh here today. This is the 54th Edition of “Know India Programme”. There are 40 participants in this edition from 9 countries, namely Fiji (07), Guyana (6), Myanmar (03), South Africa (02), Suriname (05), Trinidad & Tobago (07), Mauritius (07), Reunion Island (01), Israel (02), out of which 26 are female and 14 are male. The 54th KIP is scheduled from 1st August to 25th August, 2019 in association with the partner sates of Punjab and Haryana. The team has visited the partner states for 10 days from August 06 to August 15, 2019.Addressing the youth, Dr Jitendra Singh said that KIP programme provides an opportunity to the youth of Indian origin to learn about the culture and heritage of India. It also helps them to understand their roots and family connections, he said. The Minister interacted with the youth and understood other aspects including their educational and professional background and the states to which their ancestors belong. The youth also shared their experiences with the Minister. They talked about the places they visited in Punjab and Haryana, such as Golden temple, Atari border, Jallianwala Bagh, Kurukshetra, Anadpur Sahib, Pinjore Gardens and Virasat-e- Khalsa, among others.Speaking about India, Dr Jitendra Singh said that the country has made progress in various fields under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He briefed the youth about the Indian space programme and the recent mission of Chandrayaan-2. The Minister also spoke about the Gaganyaan mission that is planned to be launched by the year 2022.
He added that India has become an attractive place for the youth as a lot of avenues have been created for them by the Government. He added that about 70% of the country’s population is below the age of 40 years, so youth are a very important component of India. The Minister encouraged these youth to visit their ancestral homes and cities in India. Dr Jitendra Singh also encouraged them to visit National Physical Laboratory, Hall of Nuclear Energy in Pragati Maidan, among others. He added that a Hall for Space technology is also being planned in Delhi on the same lines. The Minister wished these youth a bright future and success in life.In Delhi, the participants have visited National Gallery of Modern Art, Akshadharm Temple, National Museum, Qutub Minar, Ministry of Science & Technology and Department of Biotechnology. They will also visit the Parliament House, President’s House, NITI Aayog and Invest India. They are also scheduled to visit Agra.The Know India Programme (KIP) is an important initiative of the Government of India with an aim to engage and make the students and young professionals of India Diaspora in the age group of 18-30 years, feel a sense of connect with their motherland and to be motivated and inspired by the transformation taking place in India. The objective of KIP is also to give them an exposure to various aspects of contemporary India’s forms of art, heritage and culture and to promote the awareness on different facets of life in India and the progress made by the country in various fields such as Industry, Education, Science & Technology, Information & Communication Technology, Climate and Power & Renewable Energy etc.The KIP is a 25-day orientation programme organized by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in partnership with one or two States including visit to States for 10 days. Since 2004, the Ministry has conducted 53 editions of KIP with participation of 1821 Overseas Indian youth. The participants are selected on the basis of nominations recommended by the Indian Missions/Posts abroad. The Additional Secretary (DoPT), Ms Sujata Chaturvedi and Joint Secretary, MEA (OIA), Shri Ramu Abbagani were also present on the occasion.