Agartala, April 9 The participants in the Army's 22-day-long pan-northeast car rally "Purvottar Bharat Parikrama", were greeted in solemn functions in Tripura on Saturday.
The car rally, which was flagged off on March 22 in Fort Williams, Kolkata, aims to reach out to the youth, freedom fighters, gallantry award winners besides martyrs' families and common people in the northeastern region.
As a part of the welcome ceremony, several events were organised which included paying homage to freedom fighters and fallen heroes, felicitation of 'Veer Naaris' and 'War veterans', motivational lecture by Param Vir Chakra awardee honorary Capt Yogendra Singh Yadav (Kargil war hero) and interaction with ex-servicemen.
The team also motivated the local students and NCC cadets by distributing school bags and stationery items.
Wreath laying ceremonies and various other events were organised at the Albert Ekka War Memorial on the outskirts of Agartala city.
Hailing from Jharkhand, Lance Naik Albert Ekka, who was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, was killed in the 1971 India-Pakistan war.
Defence sources said that the 22-day long car rally has been covering a total distance of around 4,000 km across 8 northeastern states Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram and Meghalaya, navigating through extreme terrain of Nathu-la in Sikkim, Se-la tunnel and Bum-la in Arunachal Pradesh, the War memorial at Kohima and many historical locations.
He said that "Purvotar Bharat Parikrama" is part of 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', the year-long Platinum Jubilee of India's Independence, showcasing the country's journey and the achievements of her people over the past 75 years.
"The car rally aims to strengthen nationalism and motivate youth to join the Indian Army. The initiative would serve as a unique platform to showcase the cultural diversity of the northeastern region, encourage tourism and strengthen the bond between the people of the eight states and the rest of the country," sources said.
During the journey of the rally, a series of motivational programmes were held at various schools and colleges.
The rally, which comprises 38 members and 10 vehicles, would culminate on April 12 at Umroi in Meghalaya.
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