Now the goggle-eyed red-cheeked youth sits with 50 other children from the valley, at an army officers' mess in the heart of Mumbai, recounting his dizzying experiences in the big city.

In its continuing drive against militancy in the valley, the Indian Army has hit upon a unique strategy to win back the people by launching an operation of a different kind. Operation Sangam, launched last year it aims at integrating the people of the valley with the rest of the country.

A senior army officer and counter-insurgency veteran explains the rationale. ``If we don't take care of these kids, they could become tomorrow's militants.'' Living in one of the country's most remote areas at some 15,000 feet over sea level, with rugged terrain, the children know very little about the rest ofIndia.

Fifty-nine students and seven teachers from various schools in the Kupwara are presently on a four-day visit to the country's western region. Flagged off by the Indian Army's 28 Infantry Division from Kashmir earlier this month, the group arrived in Mumbai on Monday before embarking on a trip to defence and industrial establishments in the city.

Planes, trains and submarines. What a heady experience it has been for the group dressed identically in blue track pants and white wind-cheaters.

Shabir Ahmad, a student of Std X, hadn't even seen the Dal lake. On Tuesday, he spent an entire day on the high seas with the group aboard two 2500-tonne patrol vessels of the Navy. Earlier, they spent a day touring naval ships and submarines.

But the most unforgettable experience for some of the excited children was their encounter with cine star Nana Patekar. The actor was swamped by the kids when he met them at Dadar on Tuesday. ``He's so down to earth,'' recounts Abdul Hamid.

Mohammed Idries, a teacherfrom the BMS school in the remote border town of Tangdar, can't forget meeting the parents of Captain Vinayak Gore in Dadar. The young captain was killed while battling militants in the valley three year ago. ``I thought they would be sad, but his parents were overjoyed to see us.''

School for some of the students is a daily 10-km trek and the nearest town is a two-day bumpy jeep ride. But they sing the songs they learn in school with a fervour belying their age. Three of them burst into saare jahan se achccha, the rest were immediately on their feet to sing in chorus.

The sojourn has at least kick-started their dreams. Some of them want to join the armed forces. Shabir Ahmed dreams of becoming a doctor and some day living in Mumbai. ``I'm impressed, it's such a disciplined city.'' Sangam seems to be working.