BENGALURU: In his second visit to Karnataka since becoming President, Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday stressed the need to preserve nature, and said it was a tradition that “sometimes we forgot.”
Kovind was speaking at a programme to celebrate the centenary of National Education Society and to inaugurate ‘Seva Utsava 2018,’ a cultural festival organised by the organisation Adamya Chetana at Nation High School Ground at Basavanagudi. “I am particularly happy that I’m here for a function associated with the cause of education and of giving back to the society — attributes so dear and typical of the people of the state,” he said, drawing applause from the large crowd.
Touching upon the festival’s theme of nature and culture, he termed it appropriate for a society that has historically regarded nature as divine. “In India, we worship rivers, we value trees and forests, and we recycle and reuse, this is our tradition. Sometimes we forget, but we must make an effort to remember,” he said. He hailed Annie Besant, founder of the National Education Society, as a “stalwart of the freedom movement.”
The President paid a tribute to H Narasimhaiah, alumni of the school, by terming him an inspiration for the current students. Narasimhaiah served as vice-chancellor of Bangalore University and was a recipient of the Padma Bhushan award. The programme was also attended by Governor Vajubhai Vala, union minister Ananthkumar and Managing Trustee of the Adamya Chetana foundation Tejaswini Ananthkumar.
Chief minister Siddaramaiah did not attend the event, but a message by him was read out to the audience. “I heartily commend visionary qualities of both — Dr Annie Besant, one of the stalwarts of INC and Ananthkumar. Our government is firmly committed to continuing the tasks of removal of the encroachment of lakes, stormwater drains, treating sewage water and making the harvest of rooftop rainwater in urban areas mandatory,” his message stated.