Joining Know India Programme Batch 79
Know India Programme (KIP) is one of the longest running programmes of the Ministry of External Affairs for diaspora engagement.
The Government of India has special concern for Indian Diaspora from all over the world because long time ago, Indians left their mother land because of various reasons, including poverty. This programme aims to promote awareness of different facets of life in India and the progress made by India in various sectors such as Economic, Industrial, Education, Science & Technology, Communication and Information Technology etc.
This 79th KIP explored the capital city of Delhi, Haryana, Agra, Mumbai and Bhubaneswar. The special 79th KIP provides visits to:
○ National War Memorial
○ Rashtrapati Bhawan (Official Residence of The President of India)
○ Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSIFS)
○ All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA)
○ Asian News International (ANI)
○ Taj Mahal
○ Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya
○ Odisha State Museum
○ Mukteshwar Temple
○ etc.
This edition was exclusively for journalists of Indian origin. There were 27 journalists from 11 countries joined the 3-week programme. Those countries are Indonesia, Israel, Kenya, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Mauritius, Fiji and Singapore. I was the only one from Indonesia, Anisa Reddy.
I got a special chance to participate in the 79th edition Know India Programme. My Consul General (CG) of India in Medan, Mr. Ravi Shanker Goel, informed me about this opportunity. I was selected among many and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity given to me.
From 24 November 2024 until 13 December 2024 I was in India. This is my first time exploring India and its magnified beauty. I love India not only because it's my native land, but India has everything from ancient wisdom to delicious foods, even I could see birds everywhere flying in the sky. It gave me peaceful mentality and I felt like India welcomed my arrival.
Dean of Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service New Delhi, Amb Raj Kumar Srivastava, once asked me a sudden question. He asked me to give one word about India in my perception. I replied "Vibrant".
India is vibrant, I could see colours everywhere. Colours in my opinion are describing India as a land of various races, wisdoms, and cultures. I sense the life vigor and I was energized being there.
"The journey itself was mesmerizing, and I will cherish this throughout my life."
In this programme, I got an epiphany as I embraced my true self in the truest expansion. I will remember the 21-day journey not as someone from another country, but as an Indian myself. I could feel the bliss of India as well as the crack while it was under colonialism. I got the sadness of the land's tears.
But the journey itself was mesmerizing, and I will cherish this throughout my life.
Thank you, India!
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