An oath to build a spiritual home was taken by students of 18 women’s colleges at an interaction with former president of India APJ Abdul Kalam.
Addressing the students at Satya Sai Nigamagamam during his visit to the city on Monday, Kalam stressed the need to work for a happy family for the students. “In order to build a spiritual home, promise me that you will build a library at home, make your mother happy and your father honest. Take an initiative, too, to make your house a green home with many trees planted to ascertain a clean environment,” said the former president who held the audience captive by his free flowing words.
Quoting a poem ‘Emerging Woman’ by renowned Tamizh poet Subramania Bharathiar, the former president highlighted the characteristics of a modern woman and her role in building the nation. “I ask the students to take an oath that they will work in their life to change the lives of at least 100 women by empowering them through education in different spheres of life,” said Kalam. The teachers and principals attending the meet on ‘role of women in giving clean society to the nation’ also seemed to be in awe of the charismatic leader who encouraged the participants to create a page on their aims in life and share it with him.
In his whirlwind tour of the city, the former president held an interaction with nearly 25,000 students under the Lead India 2020 programme at LB Stadium. Minister of primary education Dr S Sailajanath and minister for secondary education K Parthasarthy were also present. While Kalam did his best to reach out to the sea of school uniformed students, the children sitting in the stands struggled to catch a glimpse of the icon, with national flags and placards in hand. The students ultimately had to contend with hearing Kalam and munching popcorn, dried nuts and orange candy peddled by hawkers who did a brisk business.
“All the students should make a four step agenda in life to become great. You shall aim great, acquire knowledge throughout your life, coupled with hard work and perseverance,” said the former president interacting with the students and volunteers of Lead India 2020. Exhorting the model, he commended the success of the programme in encouraging youth to involve actively in building a nation.