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Thai Princess on study tour

Photo: T. Singaravelou

Admiring a work: Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn with members of self-help groups at Pillayarkuppam. —

PUDUCHERRY: Maha Chakri Sirindhorn looked more like a curious student sitting in a classroom taking notes rather than the Princess of Thailand on a high-profile visit to the Village Knowledge Centre of the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) at Pillayarkuppam, 15 km from here, on Friday.

The princess, who had made several visits to India in recent times, was on a brief visit to Puducherry to interact with the staff and self-help group members associated with the centre. Immediately after arriving at the airport here by an Indian Air Force Helicopter from Chennai, Ms. Sirindhorn proceeded to the knowledge centre by road. She spent around an hour interacting with the members there.

She was seen eagerly jotting down notes while the staff of the centre explained about various activities taken up at the village-level to ensure livelihood programme and dissemination of information meant for farming.

“For the last several years I have been closely interacting with Dr. M.S. Swaminathan and wanted to visit this centre. We would try to emulate some of the practices promoted by the centre to ensure food security, bringing down the malnutrition and use of information technology for farm activity,” Ms. Sirindhorn said.

“I keenly observe the development activities taking place in India. Several works taken up by Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Foundation in Thailand were inspired by the activities carried out in this country, the princess said.

India’s Ambassador to Thailand, Latha Reddy, said the princess had visited most of the States in India to see the industrial developments and farm activities, besides touring places of historic importance.

“The princess loves the rich cultural heritage of India and appreciates the initiatives taken up by the successive governments here to improve the socio-economic condition of the people,” the Ambassador told The Hindu. After one of her visits to India, the princess who came to know about the use of plants for bio-fuel and medicines such as jatropha and amla plants, wanted to start their large-scale cultivation in Thailand.

The princess called on Lieutenant Governor Bhopinder Singh at Raj Nivas and later visited Auroville, official sources said.

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