Pabitra Samal (17), a Class XII student of Jugipara Arjun Smriti Vidyalaya in Nayagram village of Bengal, couldn’t believe his eyes when he boarded a flight for the first time in his life.

Poonam Mandal (16), who appeared for Madhyamik from Beltala Girls’ High School in Calcutta, felt no less than a queen when she watched a movie in a multiplex and enjoyed dinner in a posh mall.

Like Pabitra and Poonam, a group of 20 teenagers, including 10 girls, hailing from economically backward families in Bengal, got an opportunity to fly to Ranchi for a day and experience city life.

The trip was organised by Ranchi chapter of Round Table, a social outfit, under the scheme Flights of Fantasy. The children flew to Ranchi on Monday and returned to Bengal on Tuesday afternoon.

“It was no less than a dream come true. I still can’t believe my eyes,” said an ecstatic Pabitra, who lives with his mother and sister and father works as a caretaker in Salt Lake, Calcutta.

Poonam couldn’t stop smiling while narrating her experience. “Khub bhalo laglo. Bhabtei parini amar swapno shotti hobe (Felt really good. Never imagined that someday my dream will come true),” she said.

Aswini Rajgaria, spokesperson of Round Table, Ranchi, said they had been organising such trips for the last few years. “Under Flights of Fantasy every year around 100 children from poor families are taken to various cities on flight,” said Rajgaria.

Another member of Round Table, Lokesh Sahu, said, “We received the children at Birsa Munda airport on Monday. After offering them some refreshments at the airport, we took them for the movie Avengers: Endgame at PVR multiplex. We arranged dinner for them at the food court in Nucleus Mall before taking them to Banquet Hall Complex on Ratu Road for a night halt.”

Three members of Round Table accompanied the children in the entire trip. “As there were many girls in the group, a lady assistant sub-inspector and another CRPF constable always escorted them,” said Sahu, adding the group of 20 children was shortlisted with the help of 127 CRPF battalion stationed in Nayagram area, Bengal, who are also involved in various social work in the surrounding villages.

On Tuesday morning, the children were taken to Taurian School near Ranchi where they also enjoyed a lavish breakfast and witnessed horse-riding and organic farming. Later they were taken to a factory where they witnessed manufacturing of snacks like chips and bhujia.

“From there we took them to a posh hotel for lunch after which they reached the airport to catch the flight to Calcutta,” said Sahu, adding Ranchi DC Rai Mahimapat Ray had met the children at the airport and wished them luck.