The Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) in collaboration with the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD) organized a five day-long Exposure Visit-cum-Training Programme in India for Bangladeshi Student Delegation during 02-06 January 2018. The delegation was comprised of a total of 20 students from top leading public and private universities of Bangladesh.
The objectives of the programme were to create an international perspective among the youth against the backdrop of the national youth policy objectives, inter-alia; involve them in promoting peace and development understanding in the society; and promote exchanging of ideas, values and culture as well as to develop international understanding among the youth of Bangladesh and India.
The programme started with an inauguration programme, where Prof. Madan Mohan Goel, Director of RGNIYD graced the occasion as Chief Guest. Prof. Dr. Vasanthi Rajendran, Head, Centre for National and International Collaboration, RGNIYD welcomed the guests and described the programme brief. CIRDAP’s Coordinator of the Programme, Mr. Mohammad Abu Saleh Siddique handed over the CIRDAP Crest and a set of recent CIRDAP publications to Mr. Goel on behalf of the Director General of CIRDAP. In his speech, Mr. Siddique expressing gratitude and thanks to the RGNIYD authority for their support and cooperation, hoped and expected that these kinds of support and cooperation of RGNIYD will be continued in the days to come. Welcoming the Bangladeshi Student Delegation and CIRDAP Representative to India, Mr. Goel mentioned that the peace in every head and heart (consumer, producer, distributor and trader) is necessary and sufficient to say no to stress, tensions and fear. He said that for employability of youth, we need to increase return on training investment (ROTI) with communication skills, time management and spiritual input along with abilities of head and heart, skills and knowledge. “Let the youth be motivated to think ‘out of the box’ solutions of their problems in present times of competition which is unhealthy also” added by Professor Goel.
On the first day of the programme, presentations were made on RGNIYD, National Youth Policy 2014 and India Youth Development Index 2017 by Prof. Dr. Vasanthi Rajendran; on Life Skills by Dr. Kumaravel, Assistant Professor, RGNIYD, and on ‘CIRDAP – A Centre of Excellence’ by Mr. Saleh Siddique.
Later, exposure visits were started with the orientation on Community Radio and Central Library of RGNIYD. During the stay in RGNIYD, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, the student delegation visited to the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial; Kuthambakkam Village Panchayat (a model village which is renowned for the role of youth participation in village development and panchayat system, Trust for Village Self Governance as well as Self-sufficiency practice); Government College of Architecture and Sculpture at Mamallapuram; Cultural and Heritage Centres at Mahabalipuram including Krishna’s Butter Ball, Sea Shore Temple and Mahabalipuram Beach; Electronic and Multimedia Research Centre under Anna University (wherein the students had the opportunity to know about the Production of Multi-media Learning Material, E-Learning Content and Community, and Campus Radio Activities); M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (i.e. Centre for Research on Sustainable Agricultural and Rural Development); Marina Sea Beach; Tidel Park – One of the largest IT parks in Asia; Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust – A Mentoring Young Entrepreneurs); and Dakshina Chitra – A Living-History Museum in Tamil Nadu.
