A Week in India with 99 friends

From a young age, we are exposed to Indian culture through TV, food, music, books and even fashion. But how much do we really know about our neighbour? I used to think I knew quite a lot, but catching a glimpse of India for just a week made me realise I had absolutely no idea.
Last month, a hundred Bangladeshi youths consisting of university students, entrepreneurs, journalists and professionals had the good fortune of being chosen by the High Commission of India, Dhaka to visit India as part of a Youth Delegation invited by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, India. The delegation was taken to New Delhi and Bangalore, with the obligatory stop at Agra, of course. The Government of India made sure we ticked off as much as we could on the to-see list. We visited Qutub Minar, Jama Masjid, Rajghat, Red Fort, University of Delhi, Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, India Gate, Prasar Bharati, Parliament Museum and National Museum in Delhi. In Bangalore, we were taken to Vidhan Soudha which is seat of the state legislature in Karnataka state, Lal Bagh, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, Infosys, Dr Devi Shetty's Hospital and Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace.
However, it is safe to say that the unanimous highlight of our journey to India was the visit to Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi where we met the honourable President of India, Pranab Mukherjee. The awe-struck feeling that came over us when the high security gates of the head of state's residence opened to us -- a few average Bangladeshi youths -- cannot possibly be described in words. We did not have a chance to recover from the exuberance of the 340-room, 130-hectare residence and Darbaar Hall before President Mukherjee entered and gave us a heartfelt welcome speech. Elected in 2012, the first Bengali President of India has even been called “Bangladesh's son-in-law” in newspapers as his wife is from Bhadrabila, Narail. The President reminded us that India and Bangladesh share a common history and we should celebrate our similarities and find more ways to work together. As the President concluded his speech and posed for photographs, we were left with the humbling realisation that visiting Rashtrapati Bhavan as the guests of the President of the largest democracy in the world was definitely something that happens only once in a lifetime.
Going to India with ninety-nine people I have never met before was quite a leap of faith on my part. But visiting unknown territory as a group of Bangladeshis meant that everyone was extremely friendly and many a night was spent sipping on some tea and taking part in good old adda. Nothing better than stress-free travel, after all. The overall treatment we received from the Government of India was beyond anything we had imagined. From police escorts, to VIP entrances, to the warm welcome from the State Government of Karnataka showed us true Indian hospitality. We also got a taste of how big India really is compared to Bangladesh when we landed in Bangalore after spending a few days in Delhi. The people, the language, the food; everything was different, and all it took was a two-hour flight.
The visit to India was truly a learning experience for us all, as we got to explore and learn about a lot of India's dimensions that wouldn't have happened if we went by ourselves. As a guest of the Indian Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, I have to commend India on the thought and emphasis it puts on its youth. By 2020, India's youth is predicted to make up 64 percent of the total population, making it the youngest country in the world. We must remember that Bangladesh also comprises of a very youthful population, and perhaps our policies should focus more on investing into youth to guarantee more economic growth in the future.
We often overlook India as a travel destination and only think of it as a place for shopping, choosing countries further away with the misconception that India is similar to Bangladesh. I myself have thought along the same lines on occasion. But this trip made me realise that although there are similarities, there are also huge differences. India has many an attractive destination to keep any curious traveller happy.

The delegates with the Indian President.