Children from remote villages of the Ladakh region and Badgam district of Jammu & Kashmir and Kokrajhar and Chirang districts of Assam called on the President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee today (September 19, 2012) at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The children were visiting Delhi as part of Operation Sadbhavana organized by the Indian Army. Under the programme, young people from troubled areas are taken on tours to different parts of the country to expose them to the rest of India. The programme is intended to reinforce the spirit of nationalism and patriotism amongst the younger generation in these areas.

Speaking on the occasion, the President of India congratulated the Army on its innovative initiative of exposing young people of Jammu and Kashmir and Assam to the rest of India. He said it is important that the people of these areas feel connected with the rest of the country. Referring to India's diversity and 5000 year old civilization, he told the students that wherever they go in India they will find ancient history and civilization co-existing with a rising modern state. He described the fact that India allow differences to exist side by side in peace and harmony as the core of our civilization. He asked the youth to take back with them the message of peace, harmony and friendship to their hometowns and spread the same across the country.