SDC Participants Experience 

Taj Mahal in true sense is a perfect creation of love, emotions and beauty. After learning a lot about Taj in the history of India, when I actually saw the monument I was simply amazed by this white beautiful Mahal.

Sumithra Meegasmulla
Chartered Librarian
Sri Lanka Air Force
Colombo 2, Sri Lanka.

Seeing the Taj for the first time was amazing. The Taj itself was magnificent.  Taj Mahal in true sense is a perfect example of love, emotions and beauty. After reading about it in magazines and books, when I actually saw the monument I was simply amazed by this white beauty.

S. L. Siyath Ahemed
Assistant Librarian
Parliament of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka

Standing majestically on the banks of River Yamuna, the Taj Mahal is synonymous with love and romance. The purity of the white marble, the exquisite ornamentation, precious gemstones used and its picturesque location, all make a visit to the Taj Mahal gain a place amongst the most sought-after tours in the world.

Md. Ekramul Haque

Administrative Officer

Ministry of ICT

Dhaka, Bangladesh

The beauty of the Taj Mahal cannot be adequately portrayed by words, photographs or paintings. You have to experience it firsthand. I am very much thankful to SDC & NISCAIR for sponsoring us and we really enjoyed our visit to the Taj, and I'm really glad that I got a chance to see it again. It was definitely a memorable experience!

Masood Raza
Assistant Librarian,
Baddi University of Emerging Sciences & Technology,
Himachal Pradesh (H.P.) – 173205
Email: mmasoodraza@gmail.com  

Agra Trip

Participant Taj Mahal Experience

My Visit To The Taj Mahal

On 17^th of June 2012 we ST and AT participants  from all over the SAARC countries visited the Shah Jahan's Red Fort and Taj Mahal. This is definitely one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Seeing the Taj for me the first time was amazing. The Taj itself was magnificent.  Taj Mahal in true sense is a perfect example of love, emotions and beauty. After reading about it in magazines and books, when I actually saw the monument I was simply amazed by this white beauty.

There is a long walkway from the entrance to the actual structure. The outside of the building has beautiful marble carvings all along the walls. There are steps and walkways made of marble all around the building, and we were walking all the way around it. The building and towers are perfectly symmetrical, so whatever is on the left side on the right. Part of the magic of seeing the Taj in person is the way the light of the sun and the moon play off the marble. The mood of the Taj literally changes .

It was very hot in Agra, but our fortunate the climate came into normal, so we did not get any hesitate to be long (1.30 hour) queue  to enter inside the building.

Inside, I am really lucky to see the view of the marble tombs of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan in underneath because it has been opened for Shah Jahan's Death Anniversary. The inside of the Taj is lit by natural lighting, so it is a bit dark. The walls inside are also beautifully carved, with wonderful inlay work and intricate detail. The inside of the Taj is actually smaller than I had thought.

I really enjoyed my visit to the Taj, and I'm really glad I got a chance to see it. It was definitely a memorable and remarkable experience in my life. I would like to  thank SDC and NISCAIR for the trip.
S. L. Siyath Ahemed

Assistant Librarian

Parliament of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

20.06.2012

Agra Tour

Secretary-General addresses the Health Ministers’ Conference

H. E. Mr. Ahmed Saleem, Secretary-General, addressed the Inaugural Session of the Fourth Meeting of Health Ministers convened in Maldives today. The Meeting brings together the Health Ministers and high-level delegations from SAARC Member States to discuss strategies to improve the public health in the region.

H. E. Dr. Mohamed Waheed, President of the Republic of Maldives, inaugurated the Conference in the presence of the visiting Ministers and delegations from Member States.

In his Address, the Secretary-General brought to the fore the important initiatives undertaken by SAARC in bringing about a qualitative change in the health of the people in the region. He also highlighted several decisions of the Ministerial Meetings on Health and the current status of their implementation. At the end of his Address, he said, “The Ministerial Meeting has an important agenda aimed at strengthening regional cooperation in the vital sector of health. I am confident that the collective wisdom and experience that the esteemed Ministers bring to this meeting will impart the requisite thrust and dynamism in advancing an appropriate regional response to these important issues.”

The First Conference of SAARC Health Ministers was held in Islamabad in January 2004, paving the way for regional cooperation on the whole gamut of health issues confronting the region.