PERIYA (Kasaragod): President Ram Nath Kovind, who began his four-day visit to Kerala on Tuesday, was all praise for the state. “I love visiting Kerala because of its incomparable natural beauty and the warmth of people here,” he said during the 5th convocation ceremony of the Central University of Kerala.
The lush green fields, the beaches and backwaters, hills and woods, the ocean and other fascinating aspects of nature in Kerala have attracted people since ancient times, he said.
“The beauty of Kerala has inspired rich poetry over the centuries,” said Kovind, who went on to recite a couplet from Vallathol's 'Mathruvandanam', a poem, which he said was “remarkable for the description of Mother Nature and its patriotic sentiments.”
Kovind said Kerala has led other states on the critical parameters of literacy and education, which has enabled it to be a leading state on several other parameters of excellence too.
He said he would be unveiling a statue of P N Panicker in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday. “Panicker worked tirelessly to increase literacy in Kerala... (His) commitment to education should inspire everyone, especially the youth,” Kovind said.
Unesco's Global Network of Learning
President Ram Nath Kovind said the Union Government has recommended three Indian cities for being listed in Unesco's Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC). “Of them, two – Thrissur and Nilambur – are in Kerala,” he said. The third city is Warangal in Telangana. At present, no Indian city is on Unesco's GNLC list. Unesco is expected to make an official declaration in January or February.