The Red Horns Gunners of the Gajraj Corps, Indian Army, organised the Indo–Bhutan Friendship Quiz at a city College, Udalguri today,bringing together students from India and Bhutan in a celebration of knowledge, cultural exchange and the longstanding friendship between the two neighbouring countries.
The event witnessed the participation of six schools from Bhutan, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. A school team from Bhutan travelled to Udalguri to take part in the competition, reflecting the close educational and cultural ties shared by the two nations. More than 650 students, accompanied by teachers, civil dignitaries and military officials from both India and Bhutan, attended the programme.
Designed to promote greater awareness of the shared history, culture, geography and enduring partnership between India and Bhutan, the quiz encouraged students to explore the historical and cultural foundations of the bilateral relationship. The competition was conducted by Col Vembu Shankar, SC (Retd), whose engaging presentation ensured a lively and closely contested event.
Speaking on the occasion, the organisers highlighted that the India–Bhutan partnership is built on mutual trust, shared values and strong people-to-people ties that have continued to deepen over the decades. They emphasised that initiatives such as the Friendship Quiz provide an important platform for young people from both countries to interact, strengthen mutual understanding and contribute to regional goodwill and co-operation.
Mr. Dechen Lhendrup, Deputy Chief Education Officer, Bhutan told that “The Indo–Bhutan Friendship Quiz is a wonderful initiative that reflects the deep trust and enduring friendship shared by our two nations. It provided an excellent platform for our students to learn about each other’s history, culture and shared values while building friendships that will last a lifetime. Such interactions strengthen people-to-people ties and inspire the younger generation to carry forward the unique and special relationship between Bhutan and India. We sincerely appreciate the Indian Army and all the organisers for creating this meaningful opportunity for our students.”
Winners of competition Students from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Udalguri expressed that
“Participating in the Indo–Bhutan Friendship Quiz was a truly enriching experience. It was inspiring to interact with students from Bhutan and learn more about the shared history, culture and values that unite our two countries. Beyond the competition, we made new friends and realised that friendship knows no borders. We are grateful to the Indian Army for organising such a meaningful event that has strengthened our understanding of the enduring India–Bhutan friendship.”
The event concluded with the presentation of prizes to the winning teams, followed by a high tea and an interaction session, giving participants an opportunity to build friendships beyond the competition and exchange experiences with their counterparts from across the border.
The Indo–Bhutan Friendship Quiz as more than an academic competition, it reflected the shared commitment of India and Bhutan to fostering enduring friendship through educational and cultural engagement. The initiative also reaffirmed the Indian Army’s continued efforts to strengthen people-to-people connections and further deepen the longstanding bonds between the two nations.
