A group of 25 college students from Jammu And Kashmir are currently visiting Delhi and the IT hub in neighbouring Gurgaon as part of a national integration tour organised by the Army to give them exposure to new technologies and encourage startup skills, officials said on Friday.
The students, 12 girls and 13 boys, from Tangdhar, Drugmulla areas in Kupwara district and Gurez in Badipora district interacted with Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen S S Hasabnis on Friday, who asked them about their dreams and aspirations.
They were scheduled to meet Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat during an interaction held at South Block here, but couldn't do so as Rawat travelled to Srinagar earlier in the day to review the security situation there, sources said.
The group arrived in Delhi on August 28 when they visited Aerocity and India Gate, a senior army official said.
"Yesterday, the group of students met the President (Ram Nath Kovind) and also visited a co-working space in Gurgaon, where they learned a thing or two about technology and innovation," he said.
On Friday, they visited the National War Memorial here and are schedule to visit Honda Motors company in Gurgaon and Red Fort as well, the Army official said.
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Many students belonged to Degree College in Kupwara and other were from Skill Development Centre, run by the Army in the Valley.
"The tour is being organised with a view to provide these college students an exposure to new technologies and methods of operation in the corporate world," the official said.
Another Army official, accompanying the group, said, the idea is to also encourage startup skills, so that they can start some venture of their own back in Kashmir.
Ruqiya Hashim, who hails from Drugmulla, said, she was happy to visit Delhi for the first time.
"We really liked the Rashtrapati Bhawan and meeting the President. We look forward to visiting Taj Mahal on September 2," she said.
The group of students will return to Kashmir in September, the Army official said.