'Knowledge train' to visit Punjab, Haryana

An educational train carrying students of Indian and foreign universities was flagged off from the national capital on Monday.

An educational train carrying students of Indian and foreign universities was flagged off from the national capital on Monday.

Gyanodaya Express is aimed at providing students exposure to urbanisation, industry and cultural diversity, railway officials said.

The train will take around 850 students of Delhi, London and Edinburgh universities to Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Amritsar and Kurukeshtra.

The special train, a joint effort of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and Delhi University, was flagged off by minister of state for railways Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury here.

The IRCTC will provide food, accommodation, transportation and other facilities for students and accompanying teachers during the trip. The students will also visit villages to have a feel the rural India, the officials said.

Meanwhile, DU officials said the train had embarked on its third trip. There are 150 students from Edinburgh and London.

Focusing on Punjab's entrepreneurial spirit, the schedule includes visits to industrial units, DU registrar Alka Sharma said.

Chowdhury said he was happy to see that international students were part of this journey, adding that there was a need for young people to understand realities of India, which trips like this could provide.

Dinesh Singh, DU vice-chancellor, thanked the railways and the IRCTC for partnering with the university for the Gyanodaya programme.

The train is equipped with internet and a library for conducting brief projects documenting the entrepreneurial spirit of Punjab, its agriculture, dance, music and cuisine.