Mangaluru: As many as 21 students and three faculty members from Sikkim visited Alva’s Education Foundation as part of its yearly student exchange programme of a Gangtok-based non-Governmental organisation, 24 hours Inspired.

Fifteen boys and six girls from various schools across Sikkim arrived at Alva’s College recently. The team of students was exposed to various activities of the foundation in the week-long programme.

Faculties of Kannada Department of the college trained them in the usage of few terms in Kannada which are often used in day-to-day conversation. Preparation of local delicacies along with diet foods was instilled by FND branch staff. Likewise, personality development sessions, Bharathanatyam classes, yoga training, wider benefits of Ayurveda medicines were also taught to them. The cultural extravaganza of the college was displayed through ‘Alva’s Samskruthika Vaibhava’ held at Hosanagara Ghataka in Shivamogga district.

Speaking about the visit, 24 hours Inspired chief learning officer Dewaker Basnet said, “Each year we take a group of school students from different schools across Sikkim to a bigger city so that they understand and appreciate the cultures prevalent in India.

This year our visit to Moodbidri would definitely widen our horizons in terms of experience, knowledge, cultural exchange and a lot of other facets.”

Appreciating Alva’s Education Foundation for providing free education to students of backward communities of North Eastern states, he said, “This is the perfect place to expose and explore umpteen qualities of virtue.”

“It was interesting and provided a platform to inculcate the right way of doing things,” said Abi Hang Subba, a student who was part of the team.

Alva’s Education Foundation Chairman Dr M Mohan Alva, Trustee Vivek Alva, and others were present.