New Delhi, Oct 25 (IANS): President Pranab Mukherjee Friday told girl students from Assam who visited him at Rashtrapati Bhavan that despite differences in language and food habits, the people of the country share a feeling of belonging to a great nation.

The students are from the militancy-affected Batasipur in Sonitpur district of Assam.

Addressing the students, the president appreciated the efforts of the Indian Army in organising the Sadbhavana tour for students.

"Though, in India, there may be differences in languages, food habits and way of life, all the people share the common bond of belonging to a great country, India," the president said.

"He said that such tours strengthen the bonds of the students, in their formative years, with the diverse culture of India. The Sadbhavana Tour would enable these students to understand India's rich history and also India's progress and development," an official statement said.

The students are in Delhi as part of a national integration-cum-education and motivational tour to Delhi, Agra and Amritsar under Operation Sadbhavana, organised by the 2 Dogra regiment of the Indian Army.