New Delhi (India), May 16: In a bid to secure a better future for the youth of Nagaland, Assam Rifles on 13 May 2022, signed a Tripartite MoU with corporate partner Axis Bank and training partner National Integrity and Educational Development Organisation (NIEDO) to establish ‘Late Capt N Kenguruse, MVC Centre of Excellence and Wellness’ to be located at Chieswema in Nagaland. The project has been conceptualised as a year-long fully residential coaching and mentoring facility for students from economically weaker and under privileged sections of Nagaland to prepare them for competitive examinations. The project is expected to be fully functional for the first batch of 30 students by the first week of July 2022. The project was created by the Assam Rifles with an aim to use education as a tool to optimize the calibre and talent of those children who due to economic conditions lack access to high quality education facilities. The spade work of the project which began in 2021, was done by Brig Abhinav Gurha, then Cdr 5 Sector.
Assam Rifles has always endeavoured to uplift the underprivileged children of the North-East and to this effect, in Nagaland, has been using education as a tool to bring the children to the mainstream. In the past few years Assam Rifles began with a pilot project in Nagaland to train children from the remote areas to facilitate their entry into Sainik School, Pungalwa. In the past two years,102 students who have entered Sainik School, Pungalwa have been trained by the Assam Rifles. In the current year, this training to underprivileged children of the North-East has been extended by Assam Rifles to Manipur, Mizoram, Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland. A total of 496 Students were trained by The Assam Rifles out of which 128 students have been selected and are in process of joining Sainik Schools across the country.
The MoU was signed at Headquarters IGAR (North), Kohima in the presence of ShTemjen Imna Along, Minister of Tribal Affairs & Higher Education, Govt of Nagaland and Maj General Vikas Lakhera, SM, IGAR (N). The MoU was signed by Brig Herjinder Singh, DIG, 5 Sector Assam Rifles, Dr. Rohit Srivastava, CEO NIEDO and Mr Rudrapriyo Ray, Head Corporate Affairs, Axis Bank. A special address was given by Lt Gen PC Nair, AVSM, YSM, DG Assam Rifles virtually. DG Assam Rifles during his virtual address conveyed that this was a significant milestone in people’s centric approach of Assam Rifles as Sentinels of North East and further highlighted the importance of education as a potent force of a social change and the role Assam Rifles is playing towards the same. The opening address was given by Maj Gen Vikas Lakhera, SM, IG Assam Rifles (North) who described the role of education in Nation building process and the importance of this centre for the students of Nagaland. As a special tribute Parents of Late Capt N Kenguruse, MVC were felicitated during the event.
This programme will mentor and guide children and aid their future growth story as well as provide value-based education including soft skills training, critical life competencies, leadership training, personal conditioning, wellness programs, vocational training, personality development, and end to end grooming to aid them in becoming a productive human resource for the nation.
Vijay Singh
