The Hindu : Front Page : I want self-confidence in every Indian: Kalam

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Sunday, Jul 22, 2007
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I want self-confidence in every Indian: Kalam

Rashtrapati Bhavan enriched by all Presidents, he says

— Photo: Shanker Chakravarty

PLANTING A MEMORY: President A.P.J Abdul Kalam watering a sapling after planting it at the President’s estate in New Delhi on Saturday.

NEW DELHI: As Pratibha Patil emerged as his successor, President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam spent the day on Saturday meeting the families of his staff, opening an imperial style auditorium and reciting a Hindi poem about his quest for wisdom and peace.

“Every President has got his or her core competence,” he remarked as TV reporters jostled for his “byte” on his successor before he drove down to the President’s estate for a farewell meeting with his staff and their families. He said he believed every President had “enriched” the Rashtrapati Bhavan, which he now calls the People’s Bhavan.

Self-confidence in every Indian was the crux of his message to the nation. “I want to bring self-confidence in every Indian,” Mr. Kalam, 75, said as he planted a sapling in the sprawling estate after inaugurating an auditorium.

He also recited the poem in heavily-accented Hindi:

Mein nirantar chada, chadta raha, Shikhar kahan hai mere Ishwar?

Mein nirantar khojta raha, khojta raha, Gyan ka bhandar kahan hai mere Ishwar?

Mein nav kheta raha, kheta raha, shanti ka dweep kahan hai mere Ishwar?

Hey Ishwar, mere desh ko doordrishti aur mehnat se anand prapti ka vardaan do.

(I have climbed relentlessly, where is the summit my lord? / I have searched relentlessly, where is the fountain of wisdom my lord? / I kept rowing the boat, where is the island of peace my lord? / My lord, allow my country to attain happiness through farsightedness and hard work. )

Mr. Kalam said the Rashtrapati Bhavan had given him many memorable events.

The children’s gallery, the exhibits in the kitchen museum, paintings and sculptures in the marble hall and the herbal, spiritual and tactile gardens had been attracting visitors, he said. — PTI

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