PUDUCHERRY: Former President of India A P J Abdul Kalam was closely associated with Sri Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville. He not only visited the ashram a few times but also studied the works of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother. Also, he had interacted with the students of Sri Aurobindo International Centre for Education in February 2003.
When he was the President, Kalam visited Puducherry on November 1, 2004,for a presentation on ‘Hydrology Modelling on The Saline Intrusion in Vanur Aquifer’ and to see Matrimandir.
He said he had come on a pilgrimage, holding Auroville in high esteem. “Friends, I have come as a pilgrim to this place and why I say pilgrim is because you have a mission bigger than mine; the mission you have is larger than that of any individual. It is a vision which came from Sri Aurobindo.