GUWAHATI:
Under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, on August 16, called upon the youths to learn the culture, traditions, languages of other states to create a united and strong India.
“It is sad that many of us do not know much about our counterparts in other states of the country. This programme is a great initiative to bridge this gap of ignorance and give a platform for our youths to visit partner states and learn about a different culture first hand,” Khandu observed.
Addressing the students-teachers meet of partner states-Meghalaya and Uttar Pradesh in Itanagar, Khandu informed that the Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat programme was conceptualized by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to enhance interaction and promote mutual understanding between people of different states through the concept of state pairing.
Arunachal Pradesh has been paired with Meghalaya and Uttar Pradesh, and about 150 students and teachers from these two states are on a five-day visit to Itanagar under the programme.
Khandu advised the visiting students to make the most of their five-day stay and learn as much as possible about Arunachal Pradesh, its diverse culture and scenic beauty.
“I know it is not possible to learn everything about the people of Arunachal Pradesh by staying in Itanagar. But you have student participants from our state with you, who will be from various tribes of the state. Learn from them. Make friends of a lifetime. Stay connected. Visit each other’s place once you graduate and join your chosen professions. Only then the objective of this programme will be fulfilled,” the chief minister said.
The chief minister suggested the education department engage the visiting students constructively and expose them to various facets of the rich cultural diversity and potential of Arunachal Pradesh so that they go back to their states with memories that would never fade.
Khandu was also of the opinion that such visits should be organised in the state after the monsoons have passed so that the visiting students can travel to different places and meet people of different tribes.
“Ours is a distinct state. Geographically the largest in the Northeast and culturally too the most diverse. We have about 26 major tribes and more than a hundred sub-tribes, each with a different language, food habits, cuisine, tradition and way of life. You have to be one amongst us to understand us better,” he said.
The chief minister expressed hope that the visit would promote the intended aim of national integration through systematic exchange between paired states in cultural, literary, and linguistic fields.
“As you go back to your respective places, hope you would have attained a better understanding and appreciation of the history, culture, language, cuisine, festivals, food, lifestyle, and many such things of each other,” he further said.
The chief minister also urged the visiting students to perform Arunachalee dances or songs during cultural interactions.
“Our youths can sing and dance to Hindi or Punjabi songs. You too should try a hand at local songs and dances of Arunachal,” Khandu added.