The program was hosted at the helipad at Police Parade Ground in Raipur (representative image)
CM Bhupesh Baghel had announced a helicopter ride as a reward for deserving students of classes 10 and 12 exams under the Swami Aatmanand Medhavi Chhatra Protsahan Yojana
For N Kumari Baiga, a girl from a special backward tribe, Saturday’s joyride in a helicopter here will remain an unforgettable experience, forever etched in her memory. Baiga was one of 89 deserving students of class 10 and 12 of the Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education (CGBSE) who were given joyrides in a seven-seat helicopter by the state government, a public relations department official said. The program was organized at the helipad at Police Parade Ground in Raipur, he said.
Born in Mannabedi village of Kabirdham district, Baiga is a student of Swami Atmanand Government English Medium School in Bodla district, the official said. The girl, who scored 88.16 per cent in the class 10 exam, comes from a humble family and her mother works as a cook at the primary school in her village. She lives in a hostel to study, he said.
“We are six brothers and sisters. My elder sister took me to Raipur for the joyride. I will never forget this day in my life because I never thought I would board a helicopter. We belong to a special backward tribal community and I want to see progress within my community,” said the excited teenager who wanted to become a doctor. Prime Minister Bhupesh Baghel had last year announced a helicopter ride as a reward for deserving students of class 10 and 12 exams under the Swami Aatmanand Medhavi Chhatra Protsahan Yojana, the official said.
This year, at least 49 students from class 10 and 30 from class 12 made the list. Among the Scheduled Tribes, 10 students, five each from Classes 10 and 12, have topped their respective categories, he said. Last year, at least 125 deserving students were taken for the helicopter ride, he said.
This extraordinary initiative aims to inspire and motivate young minds and showcase the limitless possibilities that await those who strive for excellence, the official said. Premsai Singh Tekam, Minister of Education of the State School, S. Bharathidasan, Secretary of Education, and other senior officials attended the occasion.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and was published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)