PRESIDENT RECEIVES GREETINGS FROM CHILDREN AND PENS A POEM ON THE OCCASION OF RAKSHA BANDHAN

---

The President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam spent time with children from different parts of the country at Rashtrapati Bhavan today and received their greetings on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.

More than 150 children were gathered to greet the President on the occasion. They had come from different parts of the country such as Mumbai, Rewari in Haryana and Bhiwadi in Rajasthan. The children who included some who were mentally or physically challenged or had hearing or speech impairments tied Rakhis on Dr. Kalam.

Interacting with the President, the children sang songs and performed dances, which were appreciated by Dr. Kalam. After distributing sweets to the children, the President read out a special poem he had penned for the occasion. He also asked the children to recite it along with him. The poem is titled: - "Day of Compassion and Love". Its words are as follows: -

This day of Raksha Bandhan is a beautiful day.

We, sisters have a beautiful mind with love.

We will light the lamp of compassion and love,

To remove forever, the darkness of enmity and anger.

We will radiate happiness to the home,

Happy homes create peace to the state we live,

Peaceful states make the prosperous nation.