Mita Mukherjee

St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata recently sent a team of students and teachers to the remote borders along the line of actual control adjacent to China in Arunachal Pradesh as a part of a Central government project that aims to provide opportunity for students to experience the environment of bordering areas and to promote economic development of villages located in the borders, Father Dominic Savio, principal of the college said.   

The six-day tour conducted last month included visits to several picturesque remote sites of historical significance. The team of 33 members including 30 students and three teachers started the journey from Sadalpur transit camp, the college said. After proceeding towards Char Dwar, the tour was officially flagged off at Tenga by the commanding officer of Artillery Battalion.

Some of the significant sites visited by the group are Jaswant Singh War Memorial at Twang, Surya Sambha War Memorial, Lhasa Dwar, the Holy Tree, a historical site from where Dalai lama first entered India. The group crossed the Sela Tunnel, a marvel of modern engineering and visited the Jung Waterfalls. The group stepped in the line of actual control where borders between India  and China  are without fencing and not demarcated with prominence and explored the 8^th Century Padmasambhava Statue and the Gorsam Chorten Monastery.

The tour also covered visits to Bumla Pass, Subedar Joginder Singh war Memorial, Gurudwara Teesri Udassi at 16,000 feet, Sungster Lake and Tawang Monastery and Tawang War Memorial, the college said.

The college, an autonomous institution run by the Jesuits, arranged the tour to comply with a policy of the Centre that aims to foster patriotism and nationalism among students   and develop the economy  of bordering 2966 villages of 19 districts in order to prevent the local people from leaving the villages for search of jobs. The policy also aims to promote movement of tourists to the region and combat Chinese invasion. As these villages are mostly controlled by the Indian Army, the government has taken an initiative to arrange border tours for college students and NCC cadets to  Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Ladakh regions.

The tours are officially known as Seema Darshan tours under the project Operation Sadbhavana and the University Grants Commission asked universities and colleges to take advantage of the scheme last year, the college said.

“ The tour was an enriching experience for our students. Organised by the Indian Army, this tour offered a unique first of its kind opportunity to witness the grandeur of our nation’s borders and pay tribute to our brave soldiers. Through this tour I believe that our students have developed a deeper understanding of national security, patriotism and sacrifices made by our armed forces. I am truly grateful to the Indian Army for making this possible for the students of our institution and becoming the first college in West Bengal to have embarked on this enlightening journey,” Father Dominic Savio told EducationWorld.        

Student members of the delegation said that witnessing the border areas and the line of actual control, interacting with soldiers from both India and China and understanding the dynamic of peace and respect between them were thrilling.

“Being a Xaverian is a matter of pride and getting an opportunity to be a part of the delegation of students to the borders of our country. was truly inspiring and unforgettable for me,” Mohammed Tauqueer Siddiqui, a final year student of management studies said.

Atish Prosad Mondal head of the department of accounting and finance said “ It was indeed a great opportunity for me to lead the team. It was enthralling to witness such sites and places which normal civilians can’t witness in their lifetime with the help of the Indian army.”