Indian Mission in Nepal observes Maulana Azad and ITEC Day

The Embassy of India in Kathmandu celebrated Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Day and Maulana Azad Day on Thursday evening.

The event was chaired by Nepal's Minister for Education, Science and Technology of Nepal Giriraj Mani Pokharel and Ambassador of India to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri.

While addressing the program Chief Guest, Minister Pokharel acknowledged and highlighted the importance of the ITEC program in Nepal.

"Thousands of Nepali students are benefitting from the scholarship schemes in Medicine, Agriculture Science, Law, Social Sciences and Arts and Humanities. I would like to express our sincere thanks to the Government of India for providing such wonderful support," Minister Pokharel stated.

Under the ITEC program, a number of senior officers and officials from various Ministries and Departments of the Government of Nepal have received scholarships and grants in India's premier institutions. As many as 150 ITEC alumni from Nepal attended the celebration.

The training courses offered under the ITEC program focuses on the fields of computers, engineering, information technology, journalism, banking, legislation, power, remote sensing, manpower research, education, empowerment of women, hydrology, law enforcement, business planning and promotion, accounts and finance, etc.

"Dozens of Nepali water resources experts are pursuing their M. Tech or P.G. Diploma in the fields of irrigation water management and water resources development at the prestigious IIT, Roorkee. Till date, 1353 participants have attended mid-career short, medium and long-term professional training courses under ITEC programme," a release from the Indian Mission in Nepal stated.

Highlighting the objective of the scheme, Indian envoy to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri said, "This particular program has something integral to the government in terms of reaching out to all the various departments, letting those to whom to avail of his capacity building exercise which span the entire world and to nominate people; good and qualified people from your government and from other institutions in Nepal who can go and avail of these particular programs."

The event also marked the 130th Birth Anniversary of Bharat Ratna Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad who oversaw the establishment of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and laid the foundation of the University Grants Commission (UGC) as the first Education Minister of India.

Students of Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), Embassy of India in Kathmandu organised a cultural programme on the occasion.