Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

People's President

President K.R. Narayanan endeared himself to the people. He related to them and they related to him. A gentle soul, he was fierce in his opposition to systems, conditions, and relations that enslave, despise, and humiliate human beings. He will continue to inspire all those who strive for a better society.

G. David Milton,
Maruthancode, T.N.

* * *

The nation has lost a scholar-cum-statesman. Like Abraham Lincoln, who reached the White House from humble beginnings in a log cabin, Mr. Narayanan's innate brilliance and hard work took him to the highest office in India — Rashtrapati Bhavan — despite the many social and economic barriers in his path.

K.L. Sampath,
Chennai

* * *

That the plight of the downtrodden was uppermost in his mind is evident from this excerpt from an Independence Day-eve speech: "When lakhs have a mobile phone in their hands millions in India possess only begging bowl instead. When a few have aerated water to drink many have only muddied water to quench their thirst."

K.A. Solaman,
Alappuzha, Kerala

* * *

Transcending the confines of a largely ceremonial office he could see and feel the agony of the common man. Individuals like Mr. Narayanan are crusaders in their own way, challenging age-old, preconceived notions not so much by their words as by their lives.

Dhananjay Kumar,
Jamshedpur, Jharkhand

* * *

Mr. Narayanan was a fighter throughout his life. He is a fine example of a person from a less privileged section of society making it big.

K.S. Sailesh,
Muttampalam, Kerala

* * *

Mr. Narayanan's journey from his small cottage at Uzhavoor to the Rashtrapati Bhavan is a breath-taking saga of toil and tears. He is a shining model for children from the poor and oppressed classes.

Shah Navas. S,
Pathanamthitta, Kerala

* * *

From abject poverty to extreme opulence, Mr. Narayanan had seen it all. Yet he remained modest and down to earth, never once losing focus of his duties towards India or its citizens.

Sudhir N. Shenoy,
Chennai

* * *

A soft-spoken man, Mr. Narayanan, however, appeared colossus-like while championing the cause of the poorest of poor.

M.K. Mohamed Abdulla,
Pudukottai, T.N.

* * *

In the editorial, `A salute to Citizen Narayanan.' you have rightly mentioned that "history will remember him as one who heroically, through sheer merit and hard work, rose to the highest position in the Republic, but never forgot his origins and always stood with the people."

K.T. Kuppusamy,
Chennai

* * *

Had it not been for the many constitutional restraints, Mr. Narayanan would have done much more for the underprivileged.

He will continue to live in the hearts and minds of all Indians.

S.M. Pasha,
Chennai

* * *

The nation has sustained an irreparable loss. Like Tennyson's Ulysses, Mr. Narayanan possessed an indomitable will "to strive, to seek, to find and not to yield."

May his soul rest in peace.

S. Venkataraman,
Chennai

* * *

In Mr. Narayanan's death, the nation has lost an eminent statesman, astute parliamentarian and a great humanist. The obituary, `K.R. Narayanan — a President who defied stereotype' and the report `He combined excellence with humility' (Nov.10) were fitting tributes to the late leader.

B. Suresh Kumar,
Coimbatore

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Games LTTE plays
The rupee remains overvalued
American occupation and the rise of Al-Qaeda
SAARC at 20: will the future be different?
Compassion at the top
Insight into the person
Labour must not make it worse
People's President
True tribute
A way of life?
Laudable
Right step

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu