Press Information Bureau English Releases

A 100-Member Chinese Youth Delegation is visiting India from 13 -20th November, 2012 on the invitation of Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India. The head of the delegation shri Wang Lijian, Secretary General, Chinese Association of Young Science and Technology Workers along with 10 other members of the delegation met the Secretary, Youth Affairs Ms. Nita Chowdhury here today.

Welcoming the delegation, the Secretary, Youth Affairs emphasised that the arrival of the Chinese youth delegation to India on the day of Festival of Lights ‘Diwali’ will bring prosperity and brightness in the bilateral relations between India and China.

Ms Nita Chowdhury signified the importance of the places scheduled to be visited by the Chinese delegation during their weeklong stay in India. Among them the first is the holy city of Varanasi which reflects the blend of tradition and modernity and referred in particular the Banaras Hindu University which is the one of the oldest university of India. Talking about Allahabad the next destination of the delegation , the Secretary said it is the birth place of country’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and also subsequent two Prime Ministers of India, i.e., (Late) Smt. Indira Gandhi and (Late) Rajiv Gandhi have relationship with that place. She also emphasised the importance of Allahabad University which is called Oxford University of the East. She also expressed importance of Taj Mahal, the symbol of love and one of the world Heritage Site like the Great Wall of China. The Secretary offered exchange between the University of Beijing and Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development for the development of youths of the two sides. The Secretary also showed interest in a private university which is being run in China and said India has little information about private Universities in China and would like to know more about such ventures. The Secretary also briefed the activities of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan which is working for the upliftment of rural youth in India.

The Secretary also presented a set of books published by Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development, RGNIYD to the leader of the Chinese delegation. She also briefed the visiting delegation on the work done by RGNIYD in the field of training of trainers.

The leader of the Chinese delegation shri Wang Lijian expressed happiness over the reception of the delegation at the airport on their arrival in India. He said that the delegation constitutes many member of the university including a private university (Xijing University, Shaanxi Province). He emphasised on the need of more cooperation between the universities of the two countries. The Chinese leader said that they were happy to know that India has got in place its National Youth Policy and showed interest to know more about it. Shri Wang Lijian expressed the satisfaction over continued policy of Youth Delegation Exchange Programme between the two countries for the last 7 years and said many more such exchanges will take place in the coming years. He desired that in future young entrepreneurs should also be part of the youth delegations sent to China from India. The Chinese side also appreciated the National Service Scheme (NSS) and and emphasised the need of exchange programmes between universities. Ms. Nita Chowdhury assured that she will convey the Chinese sentiments in this regard to Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development(RGNIYD), Sriperumbudur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu so that the possibility of such exchange between the two countries could be explored and formalised.

***

AD
(Release ID :89035)