Kohima (India), August 12: Lt Gen P C Nair, AVSM, YSM, Director General Assam Rifles inaugurated the Capt (Late) N Kenguruse, MVC Centre of Excellence & Wellness at Chieswema, Kohima on 08 Aug 22. The Project has been conceived by Assam Rifles to empower the youth of Nagaland through education and secure a better future for them.

During his address, DG Assam Rifles appreciated the efforts of IGAR (North), NIEDO and Axis bank in coming together towards this humanitarian cause which will not only fulfil the drive of immensely talented youths of Nagaland but will also usher prosperity and happiness in the society and the state. He further stated that Nagaland as a state has had certain impediments in terms of higher education due to its remoteness and societal challenges evolving out of insurgency. These impediments have prevented students to realise their aspirations and true potential. This project would be able to bridge this gap & provide students an opportunity to achieve their dreams and contribute positively to the society, state and nation.

He highlighted that the mentoring will provide value-based education, including soft skill training, critical life competencies, leadership capabilities, personal conditioning, wellness programs, vocational training, personality development and end to end grooming to the selected students to help them in becoming a productive human resource for the Nation. Having been an IGAR in Nagaland earlier, Lt Gen P C Nair had felt the necessity and significance of reaching out to the very remote areas of Nagaland. This project was thus conceptualised to nurture the talent of the vast numbers of under privileged youth that reside in these areas and give wings to their aspirations.

Maj Gen Vikas Lakhera, SM, the current Inspector General Assam Rifles (North) at Kohima, while addressing the students about this pioneer and generous drive highlighted that this project will provide a genuine opportunity for quality education to these selected children through specialised mentors. As per him, this initiative will also set precedence for more such collaborations in future and would have a meaningful impact on the education rendered to the relatively weaker sections of the society and in turn their lives. He thanked Axis Bank and NIEDO for joining hands on such a noble initiative.

The project has been conceptualized as a year-long residential coaching and mentoring facility for students from economically weaker and under-privileged sections of Nagaland for prestigious competitive examinations like NEET and JEE. The MOU between Assam Rifles, Axis Bank & NIEDO was signed on 13 May 22 which commenced the arduous journey of selecting 30 meritorious students from the entire state of Nagaland. The students underwent various stages of testing to be finally selected amongst the top 30.

The spade work of this project was started in 2020 by Brigadier Abhinav Gurha, then Commander of 5 Sector AR. He identified the training partner and pushed forward for early execution of the project. Thereafter Brigadier Herjinder Singh, present Commander of 5 Sector AR took this project to finalisation by signing MoU with the corporate partner, Axis Bank and training partner, NIEDO, a NGO on 13 May 22. Post these extensive efforts were undertaken throughout Nagaland to identify the deserving meritorious children.

Over the last two years, Assam Rifles has been using education to facilitate the youth of North East to get better educational and employment opportunities. Assam Rifles in Nagaland, in the last one year, has trained 294 students for Sainik Schools, out of which 40 students have already been selected for Sainik Schools across the country.

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