PRESIDENT'S SPEECH ON HIS ASSUMPTION OF OFFICE
AS PRESIDENT OF INDIA
The President, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
has called upon the countrymen to pay a focussed attention towards
realising the vision of transforming India into a ‘Developed Nation’.
In his speech on assumption of office as President of India at
the Central Hall of the Parliament in New Delhi today, Dr. Kalam
said, "Now we need a movement in the country. This is the
time to ignite the minds of the people for this movement. We will
work for it. We cannot emerge as a developed nation if we do not
learn to transact with speed."
Following is the full text of the
speech of the President Dr. Kalam on the occasion:
"Respected Shri Narayananji,
Mr. Vice President, Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. Deputy Prime Minister,
Chief Justice of India, Speaker of Lok Sabha, Members of the Union
Council of Ministers, Governors, Chief Ministers, Deputy Chairperson
of Rajya Sabha, Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, Members of Parliament,
Excellencies, friends and children – my greetings to all of you.
When I see in front of me, the distinguished dignitaries including
a number of senior diplomats representing their countries and
other eminent personalities, a beautiful Thiagarajaswamigal’s
Keerthana in Sri Raga echoes from my heart – "Endaro Mahaanubhavalu
andhariggi vandanamulu" which means, "I salute all the
great noble hearted human beings".
I thank the Members of Parliament
and State Legislatures for having elected me. The endorsement
I have received from the nation, giving me the responsibility
to realize our shared dream of India with prosperity, harmony
and strength is really overwhelming. Ten illustrious personages
have adorned this office of the President and contributed to the
nation building with their outstanding personal qualities. I salute
them all. While I assume the office of the President of Republic
of India with humility and gratefully recognizing the immense
trust, the people of the country and the political system have
reposed in me, I promise to endeavour to fulfill the aspirations
of our people.
Indian civilizational heritage
is built on universal spirit. India always stood for friendship
and extends warm hands to the whole world.
We have made significant achievements
in the last fifty years in food production, health sector, higher
education, media and mass communication, industrial infrastructure,
information technology, science and technology and defence. Our
nation is endowed with natural resources, vibrant people and traditional
value system. In spite of these resources, a number of our people
are below the poverty line, undernourished and lack primary education
itself. Our aim is to empower them to be poverty free, healthy
and literate. A country needs to have the characteristics as defined
in Thirukkural, composed over 2000 years ago:
‘Pini inmai
Selvam Vilaivinbam Emam
Aniyenba Nattirkiv vainthu’
That is, "the important
elements that constitute a nation are: being disease free; wealth;
high productivity; harmonious living and strong defence".
All our efforts should be focused towards building these five
elements at various levels in a coherent and in an integrated
manner. I am convinced that our nation with a strong, vibrant
and billion plus population can contribute to realize these elements.
Today our country is facing challenges
such as cross border terrorism, certain internal conflicts and
un-employment. To face these challenges, there must be a vision
to ensure focused action of one billion citizens of this great
country with varied capabilities. What can be that vision? It
can be none other than transforming India into a ‘Developed Nation’.
Can government alone achieve this Vision? Now we need a movement
in the country. This is the time to ignite the minds of the people
for this movement. We will work for it. We cannot emerge as a
developed nation if we do not learn to transact with speed. I
recall the saintly poet Kabir’s wisdom to us:
‘Kaal
Kare So Aaj Kar
Aaj
Kare So Ab’
That means, "What you want to
do tomorrow do it today, and what you want to do today do it now".
This vision of developed nation
needs to be achieved with Parliamentary democracy, which is the
core of our governance system. The basic structure of our Constitution
has stood the test of time. I am confident that it will continue
to be responsive to the demands of changing situations. The first
and foremost task is to respect and uphold the constitutional
processes, in the best interest of our people and our nation,
without fear or favour and with fairness and firmness. India is
a Union of States based on the framework of cooperative federalism.
Within the cooperative frame-work, there is also a requirement
to develop competitive strengths for the States so that they can
excel at the national level and the global level. Competitiveness
helps in ensuring economic and managerial efficiency and to be
creative to meet new challenges. These are essential to survive
and prosper in a fast changing world of today. In addition, in
order to strengthen democratic processes and institution, we should
all truly strive for substantive decentralization.
I wish to emphasize my unflinching
commitment to the principle of secularism, which is the corner
stone of our nationhood and which is the key feature of our civilisational
strength. During the last one year I met a number of spiritual
leaders of all religions. They all echoed one message, that is,
unity of minds and hearts of our people will happen and we will
see the golden age of our country, very soon. I would like to
endeavour to work for bringing about unity of minds among the
divergent traditions of our country.
Along with speedy development
aimed at elimination of poverty and un-employment, national security
has to be recognized by every Indian as a national priority. Indeed,
making India strong and self reliant – economically, socially
and militarily – is our foremost duty to our motherland and to
ourselves and to our future generations.
When the child is empowered by
the parents, at various phases of growth, the child transforms
into a responsible citizen. When the teacher is empowered with
knowledge and experience, good young human beings with value systems
take shape. When individual or a team is empowered with technology,
transformation to higher potential for achievement is assured.
When the leader of any institution empowers his or her people,
leaders are born who can change the nation in multiple areas.
When the women are empowered, society with stability gets assured.
When the political leaders of the nation empower the people through
visionary policies, the prosperity of the nation is certain. The
medium for transformation to developed India is the empowerment
at various levels with power of knowledge. A roadmap for realizing
this vision of developed India is in front of us.
At this juncture, I recall a
beautiful thought of Dr. G.G. Swell, an eminent leader from North
East: "We must have a mental infrastructure. Mental infrastructure
means sincerity of purpose, of vision, of purity of heart and
mind".
When I travel across our nation,
when I hear the sound of waves of the three seas around the shores
of my country, when I experience the breeze of wind from the mighty
Himalayas, when I see the bio-diversity of North-East and our
islands and when I feel the warmth from the western desert, I
hear the voice of the youth "When can I sing the song of
India?" What can be the answer? I have so far interacted
with over 50,000 school children during the past one year. I would
like to share with you my answer to the urge of these children.
If youth have to sing the song of India, India should become a
developed country which is free from poverty, illiteracy and unemployment
and is buoyant with economic prosperity, national security and
internal harmony. To create this transformation we all have to
resolve ourselves to work and sweat for the national development.
I would like to share the song of youth, which I normally recite
with the school children, here at this juncture. I am very happy
to see the children present here representing the future generation.
Through them I would like to convey the song of youth to all children
of our country and the people.
As a young citizen of India,
armed with technology, knowledge
and love for my nation,
I realize, small aim is a crime.
I will work and sweat for a great
vision,
the vision of transforming India
into a developed nation,
powered by economic strength
with value system.
I am one of the citizens of the
billion;
Only the vision will ignite the
billion souls.
It has entered into me;
The ignited soul compared to
any resource
is the most powerful resource
on the earth, above the earth
and under the earth.
I will keep the lamp of knowledge
burning
to achieve the vision – Developed
India.
If we work and sweat for the
great vision with ignited minds, the transformation leading to
the birth of vibrant developed India will happen. This song, when
sung in our own beautiful languages will unite our minds for action.
I pray the Almighty: "May
the divine peace with beauty enter into our people; Happiness
and good health blossom in our bodies, minds and souls".
Jai Hind".
