RAIPUR: Based on the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s announcement, the 119 meritorious students of Class 10th and 12th were given special ‘Helicopter’ joy rides on Saturday.

For the first time in state, 35 meritorious students of class 12th and 90 students of class 10th of Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education 2022 were listed for the joyride in a helicopter. Only 119 students participated as parents of six students declined permission. The event was held under the scheme ‘Swami Atmanand Medhavi Chhatra Protsahan Yojana’.

School Education Minister Dr. Premsai Singh Tekam, Principal Secretary, School Education Department, Dr. Alok Shukla, and Secretary Dr. S. Bharathidasan was present at the helipad near the Police Ground here, an official communication said.

Each sortie carried 7 students through a 7-seater helicopter.

Class 10th merit holder Yamini Kunjam of Sanskar Higher Secondary School, Rajnandgaon said, “I had only dreamt of sitting in a helicopter. The Chief Minister today fulfilled it.”

Anjali Satpathy, a student of Pusaur Abhinav Vidya Mandir, Raigarh district, securing 97.00 percent in class XII, says, “Many thanks to the Chief Minister as sitting in a helicopter is like a big dream come true. It was a lot of fun.”

Devanand Kumeti, a special backward tribe student of Swami Vivekananda Vidyapeeth, Abujhmand in district Narayanpur, said, “I scored 90% in the 10th Board. It is a dense forest area where I live. Thanks to the Chief Minister who made it possible for me to have a helicopter ride.”

Other students having enjoyed the helicopter ride echoed similar sentiments as they never had ever thought of getting such an opportunity.

The Chief Minister announced on May 5 during Bhent-Mulaqat Abhiyan (Direct Public Interaction drive) that the meritorious students of class 10th and 12th would be taken on a helicopter tour.