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Books are Kalam's best companions

Shujaat Bukhari

He admits to not seeing a movie in 50 years

A.P.J.Abdul Kalam

SRINAGAR: President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has not watched a movie in the last 50 years as he was literally wedded to his scientific research. "You won't believe it but it is true," Mr. Kalam told Radio Kashmir's news editor Gurjeet Malik in an informal chat here.

Impressed with Kashmir, he said its spiritual fabric was a great uniting force. "I have not seen a gurdwara, a mosque and a temple next to each other like in Kashmir."

He said it was thrilling to visit the world's highest battlefield Siachen. "In minus 35 degrees the jawans guard our borders so that we can sleep well," he told Mrs. Malik, the first Indian Information Service officer to interview the President. He reiterated his ambition of making India the No.1 country in the world.He said he sometimes felt lonely but overcame it by reading books, which he felt were his best companions.

Dreaming of an economically developed India, he expressed faith in the youth of the country who, according to him, would help realise his dream and vision of a developed India by 2020.

The interview was broadcast by all the stations of the State simultaneously and was repeated in the morning on request from listeners.

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