Mysuru: President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday inaugurated the seven-day long 17th National Jamboree of Bharat Scouts and Guides, in which 25,000 students from across the country including 7000 from Karnataka and over 1000 from SAARC countries and the Asia-Pacific will be participating, at the campus at VP Deenadyalu Naidu Nagar at Adakanahalli in Najangud taluk on Thursday.
Mr Mukherjee said, “Karnataka State Bharat Scouts and Guides has already hosted two National Jamborees at Bengaluru in the years 1960 and 1986 and is now hosting the present 17th National Jamboree at Mysuru. I am glad to learn that Karnataka is one of the most active and leading states in the field of scouting and guiding in the country.”
“Jamborees are occasions when any organisation reaffirms, redeems and reorients itself and I am sure that the activities in the Jamboree will help Scouts, Guides, Rovers and Rangers and other Volunteers to develop leadership qualities, co-operative spirit and moral values. I am also sure that it will provide a good opportunity to its participants to exchange ideas and exhibit their skills and talents, and help create awareness among youth about the values of national integration, service, discipline, patriotism and peaceful co-existence, Mr Mukherjee said.
He said, “By 2020 India will be the youngest country. It’s an asset only if youngsters are skilled and oriented to serve the nation. The Scouts and Guide Movement in India has been growing steadily from year to year and has a strength of over 5 Million Scouts and Guides today, I am sure that this International Youth Movement will enable school going children to become better citizens of our great country.
