New Delhi, May. 7 (PTI): Stressing the need for management stewardship for giving a thrust to nation's economic development, President APJ Abdul Kalam today urged the corporate India to contribute to the upliftment of society besides creating wealth.

"For a prosperous and developed India, the important thrust will be on the growth in the number of such creative leaders who can create wealth to their institutions and also contribute to the upliftment of the environment and the people in their neighbourhood," Kalam said while distributing the corporate social responsibility awards here.

In his interactive address to the business houses, the President wanted to know from the audience what would propel the country towards the path of economic growth and prosperity.

Having evoked a considerable interest to his question- answer series from the corporate bigwigs, Kalam said creative leadership "means exercising the vision to change the traditional role from commander to the coach, manager to mentor, from director to delegator and from one who demands respect to one who facilitates self-respect."

The President also gave the corporate social responsibility awards constituted by FICCI and Socio-Economic Development Foundation (SEDF) to seven corporates including SAIL, Neyveli Lignite, Tata Chemicals, Zensar Technologies, NTPC, HSBC and Hindustan Zinc.

Kalam also talked to the physically challenged students of the National Association for the Blind who sang the National Anthem on the occasion and got himself photographed with them.

Elaborating on creative leadership, Kalam said the industry houses should be concerned about their corporate social responsibility and give "more to the society than what they have drawn."

Referring to his address to the European Parliament, President said the industry can play an important role in fulfilling three missions -- evolving an enlightened society, achieving energy independence and developing a world knowledge platform.

Kalam said education should be an important part of the corporate social responsibility and industry can do a lot in rural areas by providing infrastructure for the schools in the form of drinking water, sanitation, transport, sports complexes and computer facilities.

In addition, he said, corporate houses can arrange special lectures for imbibing value-based education to improve quality of learning by children.

He said schools in India can have at least one hour of moral science classes every week to help students acquire "enlightened feelings and enlightened powers" to understand daily events and the gospels of permanent truth linking man to his environment.

Referring to the issue of energy independence, the President said business houses can take up urgent action for conservation of energy, promoting use of renewable energy to the maximum extent in their plants and facilities.

The business houses, Kalam said, can also work on development of solar energy and wind energy either on stand- alone mode or in partnership with Indian and European firms for providing a cost effective energy sources to the community.

The strategy to achieve energy independence, he said, should focus on increasing use of renewable energy (solar, wind and hydro power), electrical power from nuclear energy and bio-fuels.

He said the industry should consider participating in world knowledge platform missions -- water, health, agriculture and food process, knowledge products, transport, habitat, disaster management and capacity building -- as business opportunities, while simultaneously fulfilling corporate social responsibility.

Earlier welcoming Kalam, FICCI President Habil Khorakiwala said that business decision-making is today linked to ethical values, compliance with legal requirements and respect for people, communities and environment.

Many companies, Khorakiwala said, are realising that aligning corporate social activities closely with business objectives is good for the business.