Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 31: Governor N N Vohra and First Lady Usha Vohra attended Special National Integration Camp (SNIC) organized by the NCC Directorate, J&K at the JAKLI Regtl Centre here today.
250 NCC cadets from various parts of the country and 150 cadets from J&K are participating in this SNIC.
On his arrival at the Camp venue, the Governor was presented a Guard of Honour by the Cadets and introduced to the officers of the J&K NCC Directorate and those who have arrived from other parts of the country.
Speaking about the SNIC, Governor observed that a very important aspect of such camps is that they enable senior Boy and Girl Cadets from different States to see other parts of the country, meet and interact with people of different religions, languages, customs and lifestyles and thus imbibe the glorious pluralistic ethos of India. He added that unity in diversity is the real strength of our country, which needs to be preserved, promoted, enlarged and strengthened.
Governor observed that the SNIC is an impressive example of the wonderful opportunities which the NCC provides to the youth. He noted that, over the years, the NCC has played a significant role in exposing youth from various parts of the country to our deep rooted socio-cultural traditions and ethical values. He hoped that in the coming time it would become possible for such opportunities to be enlarged and made available to the students at large to expose them to the linguistic, religious and cultural diversity of our country and get an opportunity to appreciate its strength.
Governor noted that such opportunities were being provided to younger school children in J&K who were being enabled by the Northern Army Command, under the Sadbhavana Programme, to visit various parts of J&K and of the country which had proved to be very effective in widening the horizons of the children and given new perceptions and vision to our youth.
He observed that, as far as he recalled, he had had the wonderful opportunity of participating in all the SNI Camps which had been organised in J&K in the past years, ever since he came to J& K. He complimented the NCC Directorate for the Cadets from J&K bringing laurels to the State by winning prizes in the various prestigious events organised at the Republic Day NCC Camp. He particularly recalled achievements of J&K cadets at the Republic Day-2016 NCC Camp and the recent scaling of the Mount Everest by an Expedition in which 4 NCC Girl Cadets from Ladakh were part of the first ever all girls’ National Cadet Corps Mount Everest Expedition. The Governor invited these young NCC Everesters to visit the Raj Bhavan.
Governor also announced the institution of the Governor’s Rolling Trophy to be awarded to the winners of the Inter-Group Competitions organised by J&K NCC Directorate.
In his welcome address, Major General Sudhir S Jakhar, Additional Director General, National Cadet Corps, Jammu and Kashmir Directorate, gave a resume of the aims and objectives of the Camp.
Later, the Governor and the First Lady visited the stalls exhibiting the trainings activities of the Cadets through paintings, photographs and models.
On the occasion, the Cadets presented a captivating cultural programme based on the theme of the composite cultural heritage of the country.