Aim high and achieve goals, Kalam urges students

Former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam interacts with students who presented a science project as part of Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan Senior Secondary School’s triennial educational project in Chennai on Sunday. Correspondent and vice-principal Sheela Rajendra is in the picture.Students of Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan Senior Secondary School, Nungambakkam, could not have asked for a better ending to their triennial educational project ‘Uthishta Uthishta Bhoomim Raksha’ (Arise, awake, save our globe), which concluded here on Sunday.Just when they were about to wrap up the four-day event, they heard that former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam may drop in.

After a few minutes of anxiety, it became almost evident that he was going to be there, as security personnel with hand-held metal detectors appeared.At around 3.15 p.m., a white Ambassador car arrived outside the school’s main gate. And in no time, students jumped with excitement as they spotted Mr. Kalam wearing a warm smile.With students applauding in joy, the former president walked in and proceeded towards the dais, making a few enquiries with the students standing on either side. After visiting the science laboratory, where students’ science projects were on display, he addressed an eager audience comprising students, teachers and parents.

“What is the one word that we keep hearing all the time, everywhere?” he asked the students.“Exams,” said one. “Discipline,” said another. “Peace”, “Sorry” and “Corruption” were the other answers he got.“Don’t we keep hearing the word impossible all the time?” A product or system heavier than air cannot fly was the belief till the Wright Brothers invented the aeroplane, he explained.“The Bumblebee, which cannot fly scientifically, flies because it wants to. So higher the aim, you will definitely reach it,” he told students, who watched him without batting an eyelid. He read out an oath and asked the audience to repeat the lines.

The ‘people’s president’ made sure his student friends, who were in total awe, had an opportunity to ask a question. Class Nine student Karthik.V.S sprung up asking, “How is Dr. Kalam better known? As the president or as a teacher?” he asked. Pat came the reply. “The teacher is a good fellow!”Speaking at the event earlier, N. Ram, Editor-in-Chief, The Hindu, commended the dean and director of the school Mrs.Y.G. Parthasarathy and the school faculty for the “wonderful work done”. He said students had taken up an impressive range of issues that mattered, issues that were relevant and those which connected lives of young people to the rest of the world.Speaking on the usage of nuclear weapons, climate change and peace — some of the topics that students had chosen, he said students, with the help of their teachers, had done a very fine job.