|
Kalam’s Vision 2020: A
developed India
ALIGARH, June 19, 2008:
Asserting that a “small aim” is a crime, former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam on Wednesday said that the country’s youth can make a difference to society in the areas of literacy, environment and social
justice and they should work towards minimising the rural-urban divide.
Delivering the 58th Convocation Address at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) here, Mr. Kalam shared with the audience his
‘Vision 2020’ for India. “India will be a nation where there is
equitable distribution and adequate access to energy and quality water, where agriculture, industry and service sector work together in symphony…a nation where the best of health care is available to all, where the
governance is responsive, transparent and corruption-free....”
“In order to achieve ‘Vision 2020’ from the present ambience, the role of educational institutions like AMU is to generate quality human resource
backed with value systems derived from our civilisational heritage,” he added.
Mr. Kalam administered a ten- point oath to the youngsters “who have a responsibility to work for universal harmony by ironing out all causes of conflicts.”
“We have the mission of transforming India into a developed nation. We have identified five areas where India has a core competence for integrated action. These are: agriculture and food processing, reliable and quality electric power and surface
transport, education and health
care, information and communication technology and self-reliance in critical
technologies,” he said.
The AMU Chancellor, Justice A. M. Ahmadi, conferred an honorary degree of Doctor of Science
(Honoris Causa) on Mr. Kalam and Wipro Chairman Azim Premji.
|
|
Professor APJ Abdul Kalam - A teacher at heart.
(on teacher's day)
|
Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam who became the 11th President of India on 25th July 2002
leave the Rashtrapati Bhawan on July 25, 2007. APJ Abdul Kalam moved
into the guest house of Anna University where he will be a visiting
professor, chat with the PG students. Kalam does not want any salary
for the post and he is free to decide what he wants to teach.
A born visionary and a teacher at heart, 76 year old, Dr. APJ Abdul
Kalam, has demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities. During his entire
tendure, he was often seen defying the security arrangement to reach out and interact the young children during his public meetings. He will always be remembered for his vision of a developed India by 2020. |
APJ Abdul Kalam |
|
Missile man Kalam turns 'media man'
November 30, 2007: A P J Abdul Kalam donned the role of a "media man" by launching a fortnightly e-paper Billion Beats to highlight the stories of India's "islands of success" and to
establish knowledge connectivity. Apparently frustrated over Indian media's lack of focus in highlighting the
country's success stories, Kalam, along with his associates launched the e-paper
on his website www.abdulkalam.com
recently.
"We have the islands of success in every field of activity and we have to
connect them to make a garland," he said in his message to first edition of the
e-paper being brought out by his associate V Ponraj. Typical of Kalam, the idea to have his own media medium struck him while he was
coming out of a television interview in New Delhi.
As he drove out of the studios, Kalam vented his frustration to his associates
saying, "why are we not highlighting the success stories of achievers. Why are
we not bringing unsung heroes to the forefront." "Why an overdose of politics, murder, caste war why why", Kalam was quoted as
saying in the inaugural edition by M Anantha Krishnan, its National Affairs
Editor, explaining the reasons that prompted the former President to launch the new initiative. Kalam also wants his new venture to establish "knowledge connectivity" among
people. Besides focusing on success stories, Kalam's e-paper has an interactive
component to encourage people, especially students to share their success
stories or inspiration.
Billion Beats, launched on Children's Day at Karim Nagar in Andhra Pradesh, is
an attempt to celebrate the success of people in the country, from villages,
cities, industrial sectors or any other sphere. "The e-paper should set a new tradition. It should celebrate the success of
people wherever they are. It may be from an agricultural village or fishing
village, it may be from a dairy village, it may be from the industrial or
service sector," Kalam said in his message. "In short, Billion Beats should capture and spread the success and its glad
tidings," he said. The e-paper has messages from the Indian Test Cricket team captain Anil Kumble
and noted aerospace expert Dr Kota Harinarayana.
|
|
|
The
memorable New Year's Speech by our Ex. President :
As we begin the New Year, we should all work for
the nation's development. This can be possible if everyone
understand and learns that happiness comes from giving. It is
by giving, and giving in whichever way each one of us can, that all
of us can make a positive contribution to the making of a developed
India. In this context, I remember incidents from four great lives:
Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Nelson Mandela, Jamsrethji Nusserwanji Tata and
Saint Sheikh Abdul Quadir. Gandhiji's mother gave him beautiful advice
when he was young: "Son, in your entire life time if you can
save or better someone's life, your birth as a human being and your
life is a success. You have the blessing of the Almighty
God."
The spirit of this advice transformed Gandhiji's life on June
7, 1893 when he was evicted from a train's first class compartment
at Pietermartizburg station because of the colour of his skin. It
was then that he took up the fight against racial oppression,
beginning his campaign of non-violence that became a powerful tool
for India's Independence 54 years later.
When I was in
at Pietermartizburg station in 2004, my thoughts also turned
arond to Dr. Mandela's struggle against apartheid and Robben Island
where he'd been imprisoned for 26 years. Despite his travails there
Mandela maintained his indomitable spirit. On becoming the President
of South Africa, Mandela gave the people who practiced apartheid,
and ill-treated him, all the freedom given in a democracy.
Also in 1980, Swami Vivekananda and Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata
met on a ship sailing from Japan to the USA. Jamsetji said he wanted
to bring the steel industry to India. Vivekananda suggested
Jamshetji shouldn't just strive to bring technology for steel
manufacture, but also its science. Inspired by this idea not only was
Tata Steel established at Jamsehedpur, but Jamsetji gave one portion
of his assets for starting a science institute; the Indian Institute
of Science at Banglore. This shows that dream gives vision, vision
give thoughts and thought leads to actions.
This New Year we must also remember the message from the
events about one thousand years ago that led to an eight year old
becoming a great saint, Sheikh Abdul Quadir Al-Geani. Living in
Iraq, one day the child Quadir heard a voice telling him that his
life is a greater mission. Inspired, he told his mother he wanted to
go Baghdad to peruse knowledge. Permitting him, she stiched 40 gold
coins inside his coat's lining, and said: "Oh my son! You are
going! I have detached myself from you for the shake of
Allah... But take one advice from your mother, always feel the
truth, speak the truth and propagate the truth even when your life
is at stake."
On his journey, robbers attacked Quadirs's caravan. He
truthfully told them gold coins were sown into his coat. Upon finding
them, the astonished leader of the robbers asked what had prompted
Quadir to make this confession. Quadir replied, " My mother made
me promise to always be truthful even at the cost of my life. Here
it was a matter of only 40 dinars. I promised her and never betrayed
her trust, therefore I told you the truth." The looters were
remorseful and from that day decided to start life afresh and the
world saw the birth of a great saint.
In spite of all progress we made, an ascending economic
trajectory, continuously rising foreign exchange reserves, reduced
rate of inflation, global recognition of our technological
competence, the energy of 540 million youth etc. However, there is a
need to lift the economic condition and lifestyle of over 220 million
people of our billion plus population.
|
 |
|
