Kerala - Kochi   

Kalam gets children hooked to the world of books

– Photo: H. Vibhu

Inspirational: Former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam interacting with schoolchildren when he visited the DC Books International Book Festival in Kochi on Sunday.

KOCHI: “Repeat after me,” former President A.P.J. Kalam told the 100-odd schoolchildren gathered to see him and ask questions, “Books are my friends.”

“Books are my friends,” the children said in unison and cheerfully.

“From today onwards,” he said again and asked the children to take an oath. “From today onwards,” the children repeated after him, “I will select a few books as my friends.”

“Great books are great friends,” the 76-year-old rocket scientist told the children repeatedly to drive his point home. He recalled that when he was 22, he stumbled on a great book in Chennai’s Moore Market (which was gutted several years ago). That book, ‘Light from Many Lamps,’ had remained with him all these years, lighting his path. “It has been my friend for 54 years.”

Mr. Kalam said he read the verses from another book – this one 2,200 years old – every day. He quoted one verse from that book, the Thirukkural: “The higher your thoughts and goals, the harder you work to achieve them.” He told the children, drawn from two dozen schools in the city to attend the interactive session held at the international book festival organised by DC Books, on Sunday that great books provide great thoughts, which inspire great action which in turn lead to great success. “Whatever work you do, do in your best and do it with confidence,” he said.

He wanted them to take another oath: “Whatever the mission, my motto will be: work with integrity, succeed with integrity.” He asked each of them to set a great goal that will inspire them to think high. There was yet another oath the children had to take: “My national flag will fly in heart; I will bring glory to my nation.”

A student asked him what he had liked better, being President or being a scientist. The ex-President said he loved teaching and research. “You have to love whatever task you do.”

To another question, Mr. Kalam replied that India cannot claim to have developed until Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, which are home to a large chunk of the country’s population, are not economically developed. In his view, globalisation would not be a problem, and would not dilute our traditions if everybody worked with integrity.

A large crowd, comprising both children and adults, was at hand to hear Mr. Kalam. As is his wont, the former President let children mob him and he signed their autographs with gay abandon even as scores of phone-cameras clicked away.

Mr. Kalam, who is in town to attend a slew of public functions, will leave on Monday afternoon.

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