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Kalam an icon of younger generation: Somnath

Special Correspondent

— Photo: V. V. Krishnan

Goodbye: President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee at a farewell in New Delhi on Monday.

NEW DELHI: Sharing A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s vision of transforming India into a developed nation by 2020, members of Parliament on Monday lauded and recognised the outgoing President’s unique efforts at engaging the people “in a dialogue on development and a vision of millennial civilisation.”

At a farewell in the Central Hall of Parliament, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee hailed Mr. Kalam as “an icon of the younger generation,” who had been spreading the message of “dream, sweat and perseverance” among children and youth. He made a special mention of the scientist-President’s conviction that the scientific community had the intrinsic potential to lead the nation into the Third Millennium would be a beacon to all those working in cutting-edge technologies today.

Speaking on behalf of all MPs, Mr. Chatterjee praised Mr. Kalam for impacting the impressionable minds of children with scientific temper and patriotism. “Your interaction with thousands of schoolchildren during the Presidency has inspired them to ‘think big’ and ‘dream big’ so that, in the years ahead, they will be able to translate their dreams into action.”

Amidst thumping of desks, the Speaker described Mr. Kalam as “an embodiment of courtesy and compassion.”

“Through your innate simplicity and humility, you have lent grace and lustre to the august office. You have been articulating the nation’s developmental concerns and priorities. Your knowledge-powered development model of ‘Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas,’ popularly known as the PURA model, presented a roadmap for bridging the rural-urban divide and has proved to be the lodestar for the States to bring about socio-economic transformation in rural India,” the Speaker said.

Beginning his 25-minute address in Hindi, Mr. Kalam said he had addressed Parliament on 10 occasions and worked with two governments and two Prime Ministers — Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh and had benefited from their counsel. Mr. Kalam outlined his vision of a developed India by 2020 — “prosperous, healthy, happy, devoid of terrorism and the best place to live in with best education and health care facilities.” He visualised that the country would achieve energy independence by 2030.

The function, Mr. Kalam’s last official engagement before demitting office on Wednesday, was attended by Dr. Singh, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani, United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Union Ministers, MPs, former MPs and top Parliament officials. Mr. Chatterjee presented to Mr. Kalam a scroll of honour and a plaque.

PTI reports:

Mr. Kalam said, “I congratulate the President-elect Pratibha Patil on this historic occasion and wish her all the best in her mission.” Recalling his association with Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who quit as Vice-President on Saturday, Mr. Kalam said he was “a remarkable person with a wide canvas of experience, has received general appreciation from all about the way in which he conducted the Rajya Sabha proceedings.”

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