Modi shares Arunachal student’s article ‘A day in the Parliament and PMO’

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shared a “personal account” of a student named Lopoli Melo from Arunachal Pradesh, who got the opportunity to participate in the ‘Parakram Diwas 2023’ celebrations in the Lok Sabha secretariat.

“You will enjoy reading this very personal account of Lopoli Melo from Arunachal Pradesh. I would like to laud Speaker Om Birla Ji for taking the lead for such an initiative which also gave me the opportunity to meet bright youngsters,” PM Modi said in a tweet.

Parakram Diwas is celebrated on January 23 in order to mark the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose, who is fondly known as ‘Netaji.

Lopoli Melo, a student of Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU), Arunachal Pradesh, was selected to attend the ‘Parakram Diwas 2023’ celebrations in the Lok Sabha secretariat.

In her article titled ‘A day in the Parliament and PMO’, she recalls her journey throughout the day.

“I had to represent my university, Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU), and my state in the higher education institute (HEI) division in the Parliament for the ‘Parakram Diwas’, 2023 – a programme launched by the Parliamentary Research & Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE) of the Lok Sabha secretariat,” Lopoli pens in her blog.

“My journey started on 21 January. My brothers were so scared to send me alone that they accompanied me till the Guwahati airport. From there, I had to do it all alone. Delhi was welcoming, and felt like home,” she said.

Referring to her dress, she recalls that she wore her traditional dress ‘Idu Mishmi’ attire on the Prakram Diwas, and saved the ‘Nyishi’ attire for the Republic Day. She also brought a traditional ‘Monpa’ bag with her.

“My madam, Moyir Riba, RGU IDE assistant professor, was particular about my dress. She had told me that I was going to represent the whole state and asked me to be representative of the same,” she said.

Noting down her events in the day, Lopoli says, “I was seated in the fourth column from the left, fourth seat from the first, exactly at the centre of the hall. It had been around 10 minutes or so when I spotted our External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar coming in from the front door. I gasped in disbelief; I could not hold back my excitement.

Me and my friends started giggling out of happiness, hoping he would look towards us. And so he did, and gave us a good namaste, and with huge grins we did the same. One after another, our cabinet ministers began to appear. I also spotted our Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Too many famous personalities in a single day!”

“Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia asked me, “How are you?” and “I am doing good, sir,” I replied, excitedly. And then Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju asked me, “From Roing?” “No sir, I am from Anini,” I replied, much excitedly again,” she further recalled.

Lopoli regrets not getting the opportunity of giving a speech, because in lack of time limit, speakers were selected on a random basis.

“However, the whole experience made it worthwhile,” she said.

Finally, talking about her interaction with PM Modi, she says, “The long-awaited day ended with an interaction programme between the students and the PM at his residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, New Delhi.

“We were called in for high tea. The ambience of his residence was very soothing. Caterers waited on us; students were having their laughs, interacting casually with one another; there was a beautiful music in the background that was being played, probably practising for the Republic Day. Birds were chirping and flying around the residence. I spotted a peacock on a tree,” she said.

She said that they were instructed on how to present themselves and what things were to be avoided. “After 10 minutes or so, we were gathered to wait on the PM. He arrived and we had a photo session and sat down for the interaction. It was a very casual interaction. There was an atmosphere of ease. He talked to us, cracked jokes, gave advice and stressed on being observant and to be aware of the moment and read more,” she points out.

Lopoli said that they all were taken around several places in Delhi in the next few days, including Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, and Pradhan Mantri Sangrahalaya. They also got the opportunity to witness the Republic Day parade on Kartavya Path.

Giving a message to the youths of Arunachal Pradesh, Lopoli says that they must grab the opportunity and work to be in the race with the rest of the world.

“I had never dreamt that I would be visiting all these important places; one might never get a chance even after a hundredth visit to Delhi that I had on my first. To meet the prime minister of our country is on another level. The indication here is that we need to see beyond what we have been looking at; the youths of Arunachal must grab the opportunity and work to be in the race with the rest of the world,” she says.

“The other world, seen from afar, seems unreachable and unachievable until we reach it and we find out that it is not impossible,” Lopoli adds. (ANI)