CHENNAI: Late President APJ Abdul Kalam breathed his last igniting young minds and was always excited about meeting students, Meghalaya Governor V Shanmuganathan said on Monday.
Responding to felicitations on his elevation to the gubernatorial office, the RSS veteran admitted that he himself was a staunch admirer of the ‘missile man’.
“When he came to IIM-Shillong a week ago to deliver what was to be his final lecture, I had received him at my office. This was his third visit to the institute; this time too he told me how excited he was to meet the students. He died igniting young minds. I have never in my life come across anybody as nice as him,” he recalled.
Shanmuganathan credited the Sangh for all his achievements. “When I wanted to join the RSS, my mother was worried. She said it was not a wise decision as I had six siblings. But, I reminded her of my childhood days when she had told me that everyone must serve society first. Though initially taken aback, she turned supportive,” he said.
Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah, Swami Gautamananda from the Ramakrishna Mutt, veteran Sangh leader Suryanarayana Rao and BJP State president Tamilisai Soundararajan also spoke on the occasion.