KOTTAYAM: Former President APJ Abdul Kalam has stressed the need to shift to the politics of development from ‘politics for the sake of politics’ being practised today.
This alone can eradicate the country’s problems like poverty and unemployment and address the national security aspects and energy conservation, he said while presenting the K R Narayanan Memorial Award, instituted by the Pala-based K R Narayanan Foundation, to Jnanpith awardee ONV Kurup here.
This was one of the series of functions attended by Kalam in the district on Saturday wherein he exhorted the audience to strive for excellence in all fields for the welfare of society. Foundation chairman Uzhavoor Vijayan presided over the function. V N Vasavan MLA spoke. Vice- chairman V P Sajeendran welcomed the gathering and general secretary Eby J Jose proposed a vote of thanks.
Darsana valedictory
Kalam, speaking as chief guest at the valedictory of the Darsana Cultural Centre’s silver jubilee at the Mammen Mapillai hall here, dwelt on the catastrophe facing earth owing to carbon emissions. He presented a scroll of honour and memento to ONV Kurup and lauded the services of the Darsana Cultural Centre, managed by CMI priests, in various spheres.
St Joseph’s Province provincial Fr Sebastian Elanjickal, presided over the meet. Centre director Fr Thomas Puthusserry welcomed the gathering. Jose K Mani MP, V N Vasavan MLA, district panchayat president Radha V Nair, municipal chairman Sunny Kaloor and District Collector Mini Antony offered felicitations.
Kalam also addressed the closing function of the Yuva Master Mind, an all-Kerala technical project contest organised by a regional media group, in the Amal Jyothi College of Engineering at Kanjirapally. "A nation which gives importance to fundamental research in science is ahead of others in technology," he said. Kalam gave away prizes to the winners in the project contest.
Bishop Mar Mathew Arackal, founder-patron of the college, presented a memento to Kalam. College of Engineering, Chengannur, clinched the top spot for ‘Safety Walkie’ and bagged the merit certificate and a purse of Rs 1 lakh. Mar Baselios College of Engineering and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, won the second prize of Rs 60,000 for ‘Low-cost robotic hand for the disabled’.
SCT College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, secured the third prize. In the school projects, BSS Gurukulam HSS, Palakkad, bagged the top slot and Rs 50,000 for producing ‘Gum from thermocol.’ St Teresa’s AIHSS, Kannur, secured the second prize of Rs 30,000 for ‘Electricity from home water tank’ and Anita Vidyalaya HSS, Okkal, won the third prize.
The Prof Satish John Memorial Prize instituted by the Amal Jyothi for the human life safety projects was secured by Saint Gits College of Engineering, Kottayam, for ‘Mechanical safety elevator’ and Najath Public School, South Kalamassery, for ‘Boat security system’.
The ‘Coconut tree climbing machine’ invented by Muslim Girl’s Higher Secondary School, Erattupetta, won the special jury award.
Kalam’s other functions included the launch of ‘Love Plastic,’ the novel initiative under the Student Empowerment for Environmental Development (SEED) of a regional daily and a visit to the Malliyoor temple to greet thespian Bhagavatham exponent Sankaran Nampoothiri, who celebrated his Navati recently.