On the dot of 10 am, we met him... The man who enthralled the audience with his very presence as he smiled and waved at everyone with a humble demeanour. I was overwhelmed when I met him face to face. I'm looking at the ex-President of India I reminded myself when his humility presented me with his smile.
"We are honoured to have among us today, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam..." and that was all it took for the crowd to roar with appreciation! "I know that this college, Mount Carmel College is known for showing their appreciation and happiness (loud cheer from the audience)... in here as well as in the area" he teased while he addressed the gathering.
He spoke of a vision he called 2020. One in which he believes that India would be referred to as a developed country by the year 2020. He said we must take inspiration from the likes of Mother Theresa, Vangari Mathai and Sister Antonia.
He said we must emulate from Mother Theresa for her loving, caring and giving nature, for as she had worded it in her acceptance speech, "when you learn to share with the others, you will learn to love. When you learn to love, you bring peace." Dr. Kalam quoted her and added, making us echo his words,
"When there is righteousness in the heart, There is beauty in the character,
When there is beauty in the character, There is harmony at home,
When there is harmony at home, There is order in the Nation,
When there is order in the Nation, There will be peace in the world"
The second person he referred to was Ms. Vangari Mathai from Kenya. She was an ordinary woman who made an extraordinary change with a simple idea of planting tree saplings. The record for planting close to 41 million tree saplings, through her Green Belt Movement, was felicitated with the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for Intellectual Understanding in 2005. "Planting a tree, is planting an idea" he quoted her saying.
He added that if 300 million youth in our country can plant 2 saplings per person, then 1500 million trees would be of existence... "Even if your generation can not benefit from it, at least the next generation will. "So each one of you will plant trees, OK?"
The last person he spoke of was of a courageous woman. One who walked calmly in the middle of a ferocious prison riot in Mexico, held her hands out while police forces sprayed bullets at the prisoners and yelled for order. And order she got. Sister Antonia was renouned for her work at the prison in Mexico. She devoted her entire live for the betterment of them.
All these woman have done great things and have changed the lives of several lives by simply being compassionate. Dr Kalam quotes from Everyday Greatness(a book he recommends), "Leadership with compassion is required" be it in any field, be it for a teacher, a student...or even a politician.
He concluded by saying that everyone should be proud to be an Indian, must be courageous to forge through life's obstacles and to help the society. After all when you help your society, you've helped several people, including yourself!
Suggested related articles:
www.hindu.com/2009/08/30/stories/2009083052220500.htm
Visit: http://www.indiavision2020.org/
Picture taken from Times of India, Bangalore.
