from daijiworld's special correspondent

Panaji, Aug 27: Post-Mumbai serial bomb blasts, Japan has withdrawn its students from annual Study India programme initiated by the Goa University, Goa.

"The programme was supposed to start from September 22 and end on February 21, 2007. We have received communication from Japan's Nihon University about withdrawing their students this year due to post-Mumbai blast fears", Goa University Vice Chancellor, P S Zacharius said.

For the last three years, Nihon University students have been attending the programme, which presents fascinating capsules of Indian culture, society, philosophy, economy, management and politics to the students who spend one semester at the university, he said.

While students were finalizing their procedures for this year, the Mumbai blast occurred instilling fear in the minds of their parents, who have decided against sending their children this year, the vice chancellor added.

The university had faced a similar situation in 2001, when the programme was first launched as "students had withdrawn after 9/11 attack in the US", he added.

Zacharius said the programme would resume next year as two senior Nihon University professors, who were in Goa has shown keen interest in sending more student next year.

Goa university is in the process of signing a memorandum of understanding with north America's university of north Dakota and German Academi Exchange service to bring in students under 'Study India' programme.