Dimapur, March 2 (EMN): Eight students from the Guru Nanak Khalsa College of Arts from Mumbai University participated in a students’ exchange programme with Baptist College in Kohima, which was conducted from February 22 to the 28th.
A press release from the organisers that was issued to the media on Saturday stated that the students’ exchange was started in 2017. It is an initiative “co-designed” by the Indian National Fellowship Centre at Mumbai and Dr. K & T Keditsu Foundation at Kohima “to organize an annual week long fully sponsored student exchange program between female students of colleges in Nagaland with colleges in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka or Madhya Pradesh.”
According to the press release, the primary objective of the programme was to empower young women from low-income backgrounds who demonstrate exceptional academic aptitude and knowledge of their respective culture and who are eager to learn about the diversity of the nation.
“This program follows a stringent selection process to choose eight female students of partner colleges, sponsors round trip flight tickets, and provides daily stipend for each student for one week, plans a comprehensive educational and cross-cultural series of activities, and provides free accommodation with meals for all participants,” the press release stated.
Dr. K & T Keditsu Foundation is stated to be a registered public charitable trust in Nagaland with a mission to serve the rural and underprivileged areas of Northeast India, particularly the state of Nagaland.
One of its primary objectives is to empower women through education. The Indian National Fellowship Centre is an organization co-founded by the governor of Nagaland, PB Acharya, the updates stated.
This year, the eight students along with a chaperone from Mumbai interacted with students of Baptist College and “Zubza campus.” They participated also in cultural exchange activities during which they displayed the rich cultural heritage of their respective community.
‘They had the opportunity to visit several villages in and around Kohima, visited local homes, interacted with the local people and learned the Naga way of life. They attended interactive sessions covering a wide variety of topics…’ the updates stated.
Further, the students had the privilege of witnessing the Sekrenyi festival celebrations at Touphema village besides enjoying a day’s hike to Pulebadze. The week-long programme concluded with a valedictory function at the Eastgate hotel, in Kohima, the press release added.
