Achievement: Super 30 founder Anand Kumar is S Korea’s tourism ambassador
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: In a rare achievement, educationist and Super 30 founder Anand Kumar has been made an Honorary Ambassador for South Korea’s tourism, the media reported on Thursday.
Kumar and Myong Kil Yun, Regional Director, India & SAARC countries, Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), signed an agreement in New Delhi on Wednesday, according to a Super 30 statement.
“Kumar, who has been quite popular in South Korea due to his pioneering Super 30 initiative, also saw the best-seller book on his life published in the Korean language. The popular movie ‘Super 30’ was also made on the life of Kumar,” said Myong Kil Yun.
The choice of Kumar as the Honorary Ambassador of South Korean tourism is significant to boost ties with South Korea through cultural exchanges and opening avenues for students, he said.
South Korea has also rolled out the Korea Super 30 travel packages for the young students to visit the country without hassles and explore the opportunities and get acquainted with the culture, he said, adding Kumar’s pioneering initiative in the field of education would encourage bright students to explore the opportunities South Korea offers.
“It will offer an opportunity to Indians, especially the students of the 14-18 age group, to explore South Korea’s vibrant culture, historic landmarks, and delightful cuisine, creating lasting memories. Parents also can nominate their children for the Korea Super 30 program by filling out the application form,” he said.
Kumar said it was a good initiative to give students exposure to a technologically advanced country. “For me, it will be a new experience to be part of a student exchange program at the international level. In modern times, distance does not matter. I am looking forward to this new campaign,” he added.
He said that becoming the Honorary Ambassador of Korean Tourism was not the recognition of Anand Kumar the teacher, but all teachers of India. “It also shows the respect an educationally advanced nation like South Korea gives to teachers.”
The Super 30 initiative was launched by Kumar, a mathematics teacher, in 2002. The program selects 30 talented candidates each year from economically underprivileged sections of Indian society and trains them for the JEE-Main and JEE-Advanced, the entrance examination for the India Institutes of Technology (IITs).
