JAMMU, Dec 24: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today interacted with 250 underprivileged students from almost every district of Jammu and Kashmir who have been touring the country as part of the “Watan Ko Jano-Youth Exchange” programme, at his residence at Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi.
An official statement said the interaction at Modi’s residence was freewheeling and informal. These students are visiting Jaipur, Ajmer and New Delhi under the Central Government’s programme.
In the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’, the visit was aimed at showcasing the cultural and social diversity of the country to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, the statement added.
The Prime Minister asked the students about their travel experience and the iconic places they visited and discussed with them the rich sporting culture of Jammu and Kashmir.
He sought to know from the students about their participation in sports and gave the example of Sheetal Devi, the young archer from Jammu and Kashmir, who won three medals at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, the statement said.
Modi also appreciated the talent of the youth of Jammu and Kashmir and added that they have the potential to excel in any field.
He advised the students to work and contribute towards the development of the country and help realise the dream of ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’, the statement said.
Talking about the construction of the world’s highest railway bridge in Jammu and Kashmir, Modi said it will improve connectivity in the region and also discussed the success of Chandrayaan-3 and the Aditya-L1 mission.
These scientific achievements have made every Indian proud, the Prime Minister said.
Talking about the record number of tourists visiting Jammu and Kashmir this year, he said that there is an immense opportunity in the tourism sector there.
He exhorted the students to practise yoga daily and also discussed the successful organisation of the G20 summit in Kashmir and the efforts for making the country clean, the statement said.
The students are also likely to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union MoS in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh.
Later, in a post on X, the Prime Minister said, “Had a memorable interaction with students from Jammu and Kashmir. Their enthusiasm and energy are truly admirable.”
A short video of the event showed various students expressing delight at meeting Modi and describing their experience as amazing, incredible and magical.
Some students spoke glowingly about development works ushered in the Union Territory by the Government while a girl said that PM Modi’s remark that he does not feel tired from work was something she liked the most.
