- News>
- Newspapers
Army launches child diplomacy: The Pioneer
Srinagar, May 31: Next week, the Indian army would launch a child diplomacy mission in Kashmir to bridge the gulf between people of Kashmir and other regions of India. Around 500 children in the age group of 12-16 years, drawn from outside Jammu and Kashmir, would be hosted here for eight days, starting June 4, and introduced to 250 local boys and girls.
Srinagar, May 31: Next week, the Indian army would launch a child diplomacy mission in Kashmir to bridge the gulf between people of Kashmir and other regions of India.
Around 500 children in the age group of 12-16 years, drawn from outside Jammu and Kashmir, would be hosted here for eight days, starting June 4, and introduced to 250 local boys and girls. The goodwill gesture, referred to as Operation Maitree (Friendship), will give the children a first-hand account of Army life in the embattled region. "We will ensure that deprived children, drawn from every Indian state, are introduced to the bewitching Kashmir valley, its people, culture and heritage.
We want to bring children here, who otherwise cannot afford to visit Kashmir," said Lieutenant-General V G Patankar, head of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, and the architect of the PR exercise. The Army has approached various state governments and agencies to select underprivileged children for the Kashmir visit. It has chalked out a wide assortment of activities to enliven the visit. "To promote friendship, they will exchange saplings with the Kashmiri children," says General Patankar.
Besides visiting Valley villages, other highlights of Operation Friendship include campfires, a sports competition, cultural shows of each Indian state and a workshop on national integration. The Kashmiri children who participate will be drawn from remote and impoverished parts of the state.
"The underlying theme of the project is to integrate the people of Kashmir with the Indian milieu and help them shed the real or perceived sense of alienation," explains the General.
The Army and the Indian Air Force will organise special shows. The grand finale will be a peace run on the Boulevard along the famous Dal Lake in the capital Srinagar on June 11.
Operation Maitree is a follow-up to Operation Sangam launched by the Army in 1997-98, which did the reverse - sending children of the Valley to various parts of India.
"Both the operations are odysseys of quest and integration but their journeys are reciprocal," stresses Patankar.
A senior officer says the Army has previously organised trips for around 2,800 Kashmiri children during the past five years. The experience has been rewarding. Most of the children belonged to the militancy-hit Baramulla and Kupwara districts of north Kashmir. The southern districts later followed the suit, informed the officer.
The Army will, of course, ensure the children don't get into harm's way. "They will be exposed to village life in the Valley, but will also spend sufficient time in the tranquil towns," says the General.
"This will send out the message not only about the brotherhood of Kashmiris but also about normalcy in the region," he said.
The project is the part of Army's psychological strategy, launched five years before, to gain people's confidence.
The army is also supervising the execution of scores of development works across the troubled Valley. "Last year, development works worth Rs 4.5 crore were executed by us under Operation Sadbhawna," said General Patankar.
Another 2002 launched project christened Operation Ujala, attempts to utilise corporate funds for development projects like establishment or expansion of computer centres, extension of Army-run schools and hostels for militancy-affected children.
"The Army intends to act as a catalyst or facilitator, with the overall aim of bringing back normalcy to Kashmir," declares the General.
As part of the project, the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), is providing funding for an Army-run primary school at Boniyar in Uri pocket of Baramulla district. The school will be inaugurated on June 5.
Around 500 children in the age group of 12-16 years, drawn from outside Jammu and Kashmir, would be hosted here for eight days, starting June 4, and introduced to 250 local boys and girls. The goodwill gesture, referred to as Operation Maitree (Friendship), will give the children a first-hand account of Army life in the embattled region. "We will ensure that deprived children, drawn from every Indian state, are introduced to the bewitching Kashmir valley, its people, culture and heritage.
We want to bring children here, who otherwise cannot afford to visit Kashmir," said Lieutenant-General V G Patankar, head of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, and the architect of the PR exercise. The Army has approached various state governments and agencies to select underprivileged children for the Kashmir visit. It has chalked out a wide assortment of activities to enliven the visit. "To promote friendship, they will exchange saplings with the Kashmiri children," says General Patankar.
Besides visiting Valley villages, other highlights of Operation Friendship include campfires, a sports competition, cultural shows of each Indian state and a workshop on national integration. The Kashmiri children who participate will be drawn from remote and impoverished parts of the state.
"The underlying theme of the project is to integrate the people of Kashmir with the Indian milieu and help them shed the real or perceived sense of alienation," explains the General.
The Army and the Indian Air Force will organise special shows. The grand finale will be a peace run on the Boulevard along the famous Dal Lake in the capital Srinagar on June 11.
Operation Maitree is a follow-up to Operation Sangam launched by the Army in 1997-98, which did the reverse - sending children of the Valley to various parts of India.
"Both the operations are odysseys of quest and integration but their journeys are reciprocal," stresses Patankar.
A senior officer says the Army has previously organised trips for around 2,800 Kashmiri children during the past five years. The experience has been rewarding. Most of the children belonged to the militancy-hit Baramulla and Kupwara districts of north Kashmir. The southern districts later followed the suit, informed the officer.
The Army will, of course, ensure the children don't get into harm's way. "They will be exposed to village life in the Valley, but will also spend sufficient time in the tranquil towns," says the General.
"This will send out the message not only about the brotherhood of Kashmiris but also about normalcy in the region," he said.
The project is the part of Army's psychological strategy, launched five years before, to gain people's confidence.
The army is also supervising the execution of scores of development works across the troubled Valley. "Last year, development works worth Rs 4.5 crore were executed by us under Operation Sadbhawna," said General Patankar.
Another 2002 launched project christened Operation Ujala, attempts to utilise corporate funds for development projects like establishment or expansion of computer centres, extension of Army-run schools and hostels for militancy-affected children.
"The Army intends to act as a catalyst or facilitator, with the overall aim of bringing back normalcy to Kashmir," declares the General.
As part of the project, the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), is providing funding for an Army-run primary school at Boniyar in Uri pocket of Baramulla district. The school will be inaugurated on June 5.