|
Following
is the text of address delivered by A P J Abdul Kalam in the Central
Hall of Parliament after being sworn in as the President of India.
Full
text of Kalam's speech
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 realise 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
recognising the immense trust, the people of the country and the
political system have resposed in me, I promise to endeavour to
fulfill the aspirations of our people.
Indian civilisational 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
50 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 2,000 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 realise these elements.
Today our country is facing challenges such as
cross-border terrorism, certain internal conflicts and unemployment.
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 the 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 co-operative federalism. Within the co-operative framework, 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
decentralisation.
I wish to emphasise my unflinching commitment to
the principle of secularism, which is the cornerstone 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 peple 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 unemployment, national security has to be
recognised 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
politcal 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 of realising this vision
of developed India is in front of us.
At this juncture, I recall a beautiful though of
Dr G G Swell, an eminent leader from the North East: "We
must have a mental infrastructure. Mental infrastructure means
sincerity of purpose, of vision, or 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 realise, 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 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 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 birth of vibrant
developed India will happen. This song, when sung in our own
beautiful languages will unite our minds for action.
|