Kapurthala, March 23
Appreciating their “great enterprising spirit”, and giving a clarion call to Punjabis, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, President of India, today exhorted Punjabi farmers to adopt new methods and initiate a “new Soil to Market” green revolution besides mastering the methods of conquering global markets and taking care of the soil for sustainability.

Meanwhile, sharing his vision for India with students of different schools at the Pushpa Gujral Science City auditorium, the President said the presence of a large number of youngsters, was encouraging.

Dr Kalam, who started his address with “Sat Sri Akal” on the Punjab Technical University campus on the occasion of the university’s first convocation at the nearby Ibban village, said time had come for farmers in Punjab to adopt new methods as explained by Mr C. Subramaniam. “Modern science and technology makes it possible. It is a multi-disciplinary approach. The total value chain, including post-harvest handling, distribution and processing for value addition, has to be taken care of,” exhorted the President. He said people’s life would be enriched by IT-driven knowledge products and systems, biotechnology and space technology in the next 50 years.

Turning to Punjab farmers, Dr Kalam observed that for effecting a new green revolution, a total change in our working was the basic requirement. “I am confident that Punjab will rise to the challenge and surpass the productivity and quality levels set up by countries like Israel and Australia within about five years,” said Dr Kalam.

He said that it was Punjab which had made the country self-sufficient in foodgrains through the Green Revolution. He mentioned that Punjab was one of four top states rated in composite ranking.

Asserting that “thinking is a capital asset,” Dr Kalam, while interacting with schoolchildren at a function organised by the CII (North Region) at the Science City, said “nothing was impossible”. “Dream, dream and dream as dream gets transformed into task, task into action, action into knowledge and knowledge into self-reliance and prosperity. You may like to become engineers, doctors, artists, but what is the most important is to capture your goal as early as possible,” he said. Elaborating the country’s achievements, Dr Kalam said we were very near to achieving self-sufficiency in food, the nuclear establishments had reached the capability of building power stations and big progress made in field like nuclear medicine, nuclear irradiation of agriculture seeds for growth in agriculture production and development and production of many strategic systems.

He also awarded degrees to 410 university students in the presence of the Punjab Governor, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob and the PTU Vice-Chancellor Y.S. Rajan.

Capt Amarinder Singh, Punjab Chief Minister, who announced a grant of Rs 6 crore to enable the PTU to start six new schools of excellence, dealing with subjects like mass communication, IT, biotechnology and design and production, said the university had a very important role to play in the building of the state.

Enlisting the state’s achievements, he said power sector reforms would result in power for all at affordable prices, while top priority was being accorded to effect an improvement of healthcare, industry, drinking water supply and education sectors.

Dr Kalam also visited the Morris mosque in Kapurthala.

Amritsar, March 23
After paying his obeisance at the Golden Temple amid the chanting of hymns from Guru Granth Sahib — ‘kudrat de sab bande’ (all human beings belong to the almighty), Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was honoured by the SGPC at its information office with a shawl, a citation of the temple and sets of religious books.

Capt Amarinder Singh, who was earlier denied ‘siropa’ (robe of honour), by the SGPC during his visit to the Golden Temple after becoming the Chief Minister, was conspicuous by his absence. Mr Partap Singh Bajwa, PWD Minister, who accompanied Dr Kalam on behalf of the Chief Minister, however, was given a set of religious books.

Dr Kalam paid respect to all 10 Sikh gurus while signing the special visitors’ book of the SGPC. After Queen Elizabeth R. and her husband, Mr Phillip, who visited the Golden Temple on October 14, 1997, Dr Kalam is the second person who was given the opportunity to write his spiritual experience at the Golden Temple in this special book. He wrote: “It is indeed a great spiritual experience in the divine Golden Temple. I give respect with reverence to the 10 Sikh gurus. My best greetings to all people of Punjab and the nation.”

Dr Kalam was honoured by Mr Parkash Singh Badal, President, SAD, Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar, SGPC Chief.

‘I pay respect to 10 Sikh gurus’, wrote Dr Kalam.

Dr Kalam offered “parsad” and listened to the hymn from Guru Granth Sahib, ‘Kudrat de sab bande’ inside the sanctum sanctorum of Golden Temple with folded hands for about three minutes as a humble devotee.

However, the devotees were put to great inconvenience due to his visit. The security personnel formed a human chain to stop the devotees outside the main entrance of the temple for more than half an hour while red carpet was rolled out in front of the main gate of the temple for Dr Kalam.

Kalam pays tributes
Our Correspondent

Amritsar, March 23
Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam paid tributes to martyrs of the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre this evening. He also visited the martyrs’ well and stood for at least five minutes before the eternal flames at Jallianwalla Bagh. On his way back he presented a shawl to Shinghara Singh (107) the sole eye witness of the massacre at Jallianwalla Bagh. The President asked Mr Partap Singh Bajwa, minister for PWD to let an eminent historian sit with Shinghara Singh and help him recall events of that fateful day to be published in a book. The President said a road would be named after him in his native village Sultanwind. Dr Kalam wrote in the visitor’s book: “Jallianwalla Bagh indeed reminds how imperialism can be so cruel.”