Dr Kalam addresses students at Narendrapur

An excited gathering of students assembled to listen to former President A P J Abdul Kalam when he took the stage at the Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Narendrapur on Saturday.

Replying to a question on which role of life he has enjoyed the most, Kalam said being a teacher had been his dream and he became President to market his dream of developing India by 2020.

Given the occasion was the golden jubilee of the school and the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, the former President quoted Vivekananda several times during the interaction.


Kalam asked the students to acquire knowledge, inculcate creativity, be righteous and courageous and have an indomitable spirit.

Kalam also faced difficult questions from the students, whom he described as responsive and intelligent. “What does ‘Buddha smiles’ mean and how can nuclear arms bring peace?” asked a student. Kalam replied: “Peace smiles and when all countries around us have nuclear weapons it is better to acquire them, as strength respects strength.”

The former President smiled when none of the students present raised their hands when asked how many of them wanted to be a politician. Later, replying to a question on why Presidents and Prime Ministers are old, Kalam said if the youth is not involved in developmental politics, how could they expect young people to lead the country? Kalam had answers for every question — from campus violence to his happiest and saddest moments in life. The former President asked the students to “navigate their time properly”. He chanted the four-fold mantra of success, saying it involved goal setting, acquiring knowledge, hard work and perseverance.

He also felicitated the heads of 10 schools, which are celebrating their centenaries, and released a special cover to mark the golden jubilee celebrations.

[Source: Express India]