Know India Programme
Know India Programme (KIP) is an initiative by the Ministry of External Affairs for the Indian Diaspora youth between the age group of 21-35 years. The primary objective of the KIP is to foster a closer connection between Indian diaspora youth and their ancestral homeland by augmenting their understanding of India. The Programme provides a platform for the Person of Indian Origin (PIO) youth to familiarize themselves with the contemporary India, through about three week ‘knowledge tourism’ programme providing them an exposure to different aspects of the growth and development of India. The programme is open to youth of Indian origin (excluding Non-Resident Indians) with preference given to PIOs from Girmitiya countries. A maximum of 40 Indian Diaspora youth are selected for each programme and provided full hospitality in India. 90% of the total cost of international airfare is also borne by the Ministry. The entire process of applying, processing etc. is through KIP Portal https://kip.gov.in/ .
So far, 67 editions of this programme have been conducted successfully with the participation of a total number of 2411 PIOs Youths.
The Content of the Programme broadly includes the following:
- Presentations on India, and its polity, economy, history, culture, etc.
- Visits to institutes of democracy and governance.
- Call on high dignitaries.
- Visit to places of historical & cultural importance
- Cultural events showcasing classical forms of music and dance.
- Visits to institutions of traditional knowledge system like Yoga and Ayurveda
- Exposure to Indian Media and Broadcasting industry.
- Visit to leading Scientific and Research Institutions.
- Immersion programme along with interaction with faculty and students at a prestigious University/College/Institute.
- Visit to industrial sites, public and private firms to showcase India’s strength in Manufacturing & Services sector.
- Exposure to Govt. of India schemes like Skill India, Digital India, Aatmanirbhar Bharat, StartUp India.
- Visit to one or two State(s) in India.
The detailed guidelines and eligibilty criteria for the Know India Programme are available on the KIP website https://kip.gov.in/ .