Jammu: A small village girl from Doda district’s far off area has made the entire district proud by getting selected into the prestigious Sakura Science Exchange Program (SSEP) in Japan.
The girl has left for New Delhi from Jammu and will be flying to Japan thereof.
A class-12 student in Government Girls Higher Secondary School Doda, Sonika Devi is the only student from Jammu and Kashmir who has been selected alongside 20 other students from other parts of the country.
Talking to ETV Bharat in Jammu over her selection, Sonika expressed happiness in making it to the prestigious program for which not many students get the opportunity.
“While applying for the SSEP last year alongside many other students of my school, I had no hopes that a girl from a place like Doda would also get this opportunity to visit Japan. Once I received the confirmation some time back, it looked like a dream come true,” she said.
Coming from a modest background from a small village Maniana in Ghat block of Doda district, where the residents got a link road only a few months ago, Sonika has studied in Anand Marka school in nearby Kashore area. She has also studied in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Doda for a short period before completing her 10th from Government high school Bhabore. Currently she is studying in GGHSS Doda and is residing in the hostel of the school.
Maintaining that she had inclination towards science since childhood days, Sonika said that the desire to excel in the field has provided her the platform to interact with students of Japan.
“During the week-long program we will be interacting with students of different schools, colleges and universities of Japan, which will open new horizons for us. Japan is a developed country and the forthcoming week will be a lifetime opportunity for me,” she added.
The SSEP is an international program that encourages the exchange of scientific knowledge and cultural understanding between students and researchers from various countries. This program is sponsored by the Japan Science and Technology (JS) agency.
On Thursday, before leaving from Doda, J&K minister for education Sakeena Masood Itoo interacted with Sonika and wished her success.
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