DIBRUGARH, Jan 8 - The 12-day long National Integration Tour (NIT) organized by the Army concluded today with a flagging-in ceremony at Naharkatia Sports Auditorium ground.
The flagging-in ceremony was presided over by chief guest Major General Ananta Bhuyan, the GOC of Dao Division. Brigadier Siddharth Chawla, Commander of Dao Gunners and MLA Naren Sonowal were also in attendance.
The tour saw meritorious students from less privileged sections of Assam travel to various places of historical and cultural importance in Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Guwahati. As a part of the tour, the students met President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan. The tour was planned in a manner to give maximum exposure to the diversity of the nation.
Maj Gen Bhuyan said the tour was appreciated by the students, who said that it was once in a lifetime opportunity. �I never expected I would get a chance to meet the President, it was a great experience for the first time in my life. I saw true diversity of the country. I sincerely thank Dao Division of the Army for giving me this great opportunity,� said Raktim Parashar Goswami of KV Namrup.
The tour had started on December 26 last. The flagging-in ceremony brought before the audience the exuberance of youth, who presented various cultural shows. The programme was supported by the local population, as several thousand people from Naharkatia came to witness the event. Seven meritorious students were felicitated with scholarship of Rs 21,000 each by Major General Bhuyan as part of Operation Sadbhavana. A free medical camp with free medicines and check-up for about 2,000 persons was also organized.
A pre-recruitment rally, equipment display of Indian Army and financial inclusion programme were also part of the event, a defence release stated.
