On her arrival, the President was welcomed by the governor Gen. J. J. Singh and Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu at Raj Bhavan Helipad in Itanagar. Thereafter, she visited  the North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST), Nirjuli, for the institute’s first ever convocation function. 

NERIST is the first institute in India to offer a modular pattern of education with nine diploma certificate courses, six diploma courses and seven degree courses in various disciplines.

Speaking on the occasion the President said that Arunachal Pradesh may be the easternmost state, but it has never been far from the consciousness of the nation. Development and progress become sustainable only when the people receive the benefit of education, she said. Patil appreciated the efforts of the institute to create a skilled workforce ever since its foundation stone was laid by Mr. Giani Zail Singh, the then President of India on March 4th ,1984. Congratulating the graduating students, she advised them to endeavor to make proper application of technology to make a positive impact on the quality of life of the people. The institute should work on practical uses of technology to make the geography irrelevant so that in the North East, terrain and geography are not an impediment to faster growth.

President Patil visited Tawang and was accompanied by the Governor and the finance minister of the state. Situated at 10200 feet above sea level along the Sino- Indian border, this beautiful township is famous for its 400 year old Tawang Monastery (Galden Namgyal Lhatse) which is the second largest in Asia. She was warmly welcomed by the head Lama and the monks with a colourful traditional mask dance. A prayer for peace and harmony of the nation was offered along with a visit to the centuries old museum of the monastery. 

President Patil, while visiting the Tawang War Memorial; paid homage to the heroes of the 1962 Indo- China War, who laid down their lives defending the borders. The present day guardians of the borders too were not forgotten as she interacted with the personnel stationed there and encouraged them to protect the boundaries of the nation.

While visiting the Jawaharlal Nehru State Musuem, she was accorded a warm welcome by Y. D. Thongchi, commissioner of Cultural Affairs and Dr. Tage Tada, Director Research and his team. She took a round of the museum and had a close look at the wide ranging collection of arts and crafts of the state.

President Patil’s statement that women were important drivers of change in many parts of the country and Self Help Groups (SHGs) were a good way of mobilising, empowering and making them economically independent was justified in her next stop; the Arun Self Help Mela at Banquet Hall, Itanagar. It was organised by the government of Arunachal Pradesh in partnership with NABARD, Arunachal Pradesh State Women Commission (APSWC), SBI and Essomi Foundation Trust (NGO resource partner). The Mela was a part of the government’s initiative to popularise the self help movement in the state through Microfinance Vision 2011, by which it plans to set up a micro bank in every village in the form of a SHG. It was a showcase of tradition, art, culture and local handicrafts in an idyllic rural village setting. 

25 SHGs from all over the state exhibited the fruits of their hard work in the form of woven handloom and handicraft, knitting, decorative items, bead ornaments, local produce like local health drink, bamboo shoot, pickles, etc. To give a better understanding of the work done by the women, traditional weaving of looms was also demonstrated which was keenly examined by the President. She was taken around and shown each and every stall with Miss Bandana Deori, Sectary (Tourism) providing inputs and information. A lot of appreciation was shown to all the women present for their grit and determination to rise above their situations and all the beautiful items created by them.

President had a brief interaction with the locals at Kibithoo which was followed by a Sainik Sammelan where she told the jawans that she was there not only as a President but also as a sister and a mother and encouraged them in doing their duties.

Such a visit by the highest authority of the country, which is rare in this remote state, has generated a sense of integration in the people. This is particularly important in the light of the constant claim over this beautiful region by China.

Nimina Namchoom