Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Sunday took part in the closing ceremony of ‘’Watan Ko Jano” - a Kashmiri youth exchange programme held at Gonikoppal in Kodagu district, and underlined the role of youth in transformation of the nation.
The event was held at the Coorg Public School and the Governor said that youngsters were a crucial human resource driving social and economic transformations in the nation while fortifying democracy and development.
Underlining India’s demographic strength, Governor Gehlot said 65 per cent of the Indian population was under 35 years of age and they constitute a vital component of the country’s future and development.
Reflecting on India’s progress over 75 years of Independence, the Governor commended the nation’s journey to self-reliance and noted that India was now the world’s 5th largest economy, progressing steadily toward securing the position of the 3rd largest economy.
Governor Gehlot called for collective efforts to transform the period until 2047 into an era of duty, building a grand and developed India and positioning the country among the world’s best.
He also described Karnataka as a progressive and prosperous state and lauded the strides made in education, health, agriculture, technology, industry, and various other sectors and remarked that the State was a torchbearer of development.
Referring to Kashmir Governor Gehlot expressed admiration for its natural beauty and rich cultural heritage and said that through the “Kashmir Youth Exchange” program, there was an opportunity provided to the youth of Kashmir to explore India’s diversity besides promoting cultural understanding. The exchange programme included a slew of events besides showcasing government welfare schemes, yoga etc., apart from cultural programs, facilitating a deeper understanding between the people of Kashmir and Karnataka.
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly U.T. Khader urged the Kashmiri youth to imbibe the culture and diversity experienced during their exchange programme and spread it among the people back home in their state. This will lend greater credence to exchange programmes, he added.
The event was jointly organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Nehru Yuva Kendra, Ministry of Home Affairs and others.
Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna welcomed such exchange programmes as it facilitates mutual understanding and appreciation of different cultures and said it was similar to tribal cultural exchange programmes that used to be held regularly. He said the Kashmiri youth exchange programme would have served its purpose if the participants come to appreciate and cherish a few salient aspects of Kodagu.
Deputy Commissioner Venkatraja, Regional Officer of Nehru Yuva Kendra Nataraju, Coorg Public School principal M. Ramachandran and others were present.
