New Delhi, Jan 7: Vice President Hamid Ansari inaugurated the National Cadet Corps (NCC) Republic Day Camp – 2008 here today.

A contingent of NCC cadets drawn from all the three wings -- Army, Navy and Air Force -- presented a Guard of Honour to the Vice President on his arrival at the camp.

In his brief address, Ansari said that the cadets hailing from different parts of the country, with different linguistic and religious background, represented a ‘Mini India’.

He expressed hope that the NCC cadets would rise above parochialism and regionalism and develop a broad national outlook to make a united and prosperous India.

In all 1900 cadets -- both boys and girls -- drawn from 17 NCC Directorates across the country are participating in the camp.

The cadets will take part in a number of activities like cultural, national integration awareness and institutional training competitions.

The nearly one-month long camp will conclude with the Prime Minister’s Rally on January 28.

Addressing the cadets on the occasion, NCC Director General Lieutenant-General Prakash Chaudhary said that the NCC has signed a MoU with the UNICEF under which the NCC girl cadets would participate in a pilot project on the literacy mission. (ANI)