APJ ABDULKALAM

National
LD KALAM

Kalam exhorts people to realise dream of developed India

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 17 (PTI) President A P J Abdul Kalam, on a two-day whirlwind tour of the state, today exhorted the people to work unitedly to realise the dream of developing India into a strong nation by 2020, focussing on the five vital areas of health, wealth, unity, peace and power. On the first day of his maiden trip to the state after assuming the highest office, the President who attended half a dozen engagements in north and central Kerala, said quality education was a vital ingredient for building a strong nation of enlightened citizens. Inaugurating a tribal development scheme at Attappadi in Palakkad district, the President quoted profusely from the Tamil classic `Thirukkural,' to drive home his point of the need to build a strong and self-reliant nation. Kalam, while opening a library complex at Farook college in Kozhikode, called upon the student community to have a dream and vision so that they could work for the progress of the nation as enlightened citizens. At all the places he visited, the country's first citizen found time to interact with children including three students of a school in Kochi who had reviewed his work, `Wings of Fire.' He also had an interactive session with members of `Balajana Sakhyam' of the Malayala Manorama at Kochi. The President also visited the Southern Naval Command, Amrita Institute of Medical Science, and addressed the `Viswas Sangamam' organised by the Catholic church at Kochi.

Earlier in the morning, Kalam was accorded a warm welcome on his arrival at Kochi by Kerala Governor Sikander Bakht, Chief Minister A K Antony and other dignitaries. At the Southern Naval Command, the President inspected a guard of honour and oversaw the repair facility of pegasus engine used in Sea Harrier aircraft. In Kozhikode, Kalam, breaking security cover, reached out to the students among the audience and asked them to take the pledge of `dreams transfer into thoughts, and thoughts result in action.' Endearing himself to the largely rural and tribal audience at Attappadi, the President came out with an `Attappadi Declaration' exhorting the gathering to make the entire hill area a liquor-free zone.