The 23rd National Youth Leadership Camp was inaugurated by Lt Gen DS Ahuja, GoC, 101 Area at the Army Public School, Narengi in Guwahati on Sunday.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was also present during the inauguration of the camp and appreciated the effort.
A total of 500 youths comprising 300 boys and 200 girls in the age group of 14 to 25 years are participating in the camp.
The camp will conclude on December 31.
The aim of the camp is to impart discipline, punctuality and mutual cooperation, develop sense of national unity by interacting with youth of other states and regions and imbibe a healthy lifestyle.
Training will be imparted to the youth on leadership, drill and physical training, yoga, sports and group games, first aid and introduction to important vocations as opportunities in self-employment, as part of the camp.
Seminars on climate change and pollution, popularization of science, Indian culture and traditions and career guidance will also be held during the camp.
The camp is a rare combination of attempting imbibing simultaneous importance to culture and science in our youth.
While encouraging the youth to generate interest towards science, Lt Gen DS Ahuja, the GoC said old and rudimentary traditions which are impediments to growth should be shed off. However, in the race to embrace technology one should not lose sight of our country’s great cultural ethos.
The youth should aim to master technologies and not become slaves and hence over reliance on gizmos and immature handling should be avoided, the GoC added
The GOC advised the participants to gain the maximum from this rare opportunity to be in a military station and observe a soldier’s daily routine.
They should imbibe the knowledge and experience that will be shared by the organizers and the instructors from the Army.
In the personality development field, Gen Ahuja advised and reminded the youth that a nation is only as strong as its weakest link and hence everyone should strive to excel in his/her field.
“You can make a difference and hence change what you can and for what you can’t become the change you always wanted to see. Our Nation’s strength is its unity in diversity and the history bears testimony that united we have stood strong and once divided we have fallen. It is good to represent against violation of your rights provided you have not failed in discharging your duties,” Ahuja said.
In the end the General advised the youth to give importance to building a strong character as a personality trait before anything else.
“Be decisive, make the right choice always and be the master of your destiny. Choose the harder right than the easier right, there is no substitute to hard work and no short cuts to success. Physical courage is good but courage of conviction counts the most. There is no better investment than good health. You will relish success only if you have sound health. Don’t find solace in drugs and intoxication,” the Army Lieutenant General added.
Lt Gen DS Ahuja complemented the Calcutta Science and Cultural Organisation for Youth and the Chief Patron, Prof S Roy (MP) for organizing the youth camp with such a unique theme.