Date:27/10/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/10/27/stories/2006102713730200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

City student to represent south India in Tokyo

Staff Reporter

Saranya chosen for international youth exchange programme

A.P. Saranya — Photo: K.V. Srinivasan

CHENNAI: When A.P. Saranya of Children's Garden Higher Secondary School helped rehabilitate fishermen near Triplicane during the tsunami, little did she know that her service would fetch her a passport to Tokyo two years later.

As a member of her school's Red Cross wing, Saranya has been part of several welfare projects, camps and human chains.

She is one of the two students from India who will represent the country in the international youth exchange programme being organised by the Japanese Red Cross Society in November.

The Indian Red Cross Society distributed application forms to schools across the country and two students were finally shortlisted to represent north India and south India respectively.

The programme, being conducted for students who are part of Red Cross wings in their respective schools, is aimed at inculcating in students principles such as neutrality, impartiality, unity, universality and independence.

Students from nearly 30 other countries will take part in the mega event, to be held between November 15 and 27. "I have been a Red Cross member for the past seven years. Each activity I have been part of has been a learning experience," says Saranya, a Plus Two student aspiring to pursue a career in the biomedical sciences.

"I am eagerly looking forward to this trip. I would love to know about Japanese culture, their way of life and people. I will ask them how they overcome disasters in such style, and emerge winners all the time," she said.