He might have moved out of the Rashtrapathi Bhavan, but former president A P J Abdul Kalam’s visit to educational institutions in Bangalore on Friday, proved that he still captured the imagination and hearts of students.

In true Kalam style, he spoke to the students, made them repeat slogans along with him and answered their questions.

Inaugurating ‘Plasma-igniting the young minds,’ a confluence of the library week, science fest, inter-collegiate cultural festival and sports fest of Christ Junior College, he gave students pointers on how to evolve into an enlightened citizen.

The ‘Missile Man’ emphasised on having education with a value system, where strong teachers can mould children during the impressionable years with mission-oriented learning.

He also emphasised on the need for religion to transform into a spiritual force and substantiated with an anecdote where science and religion joined together to transform into a spiritual force. He asked the students to ask themselves ‘What can I give’ to rid the country of poverty.

He also said five capacities should be built in students--inquiry, creativity, tech savvy attitude, enterpreneurship and morals. When asked how he feels being the Missile Man when India has a history of non-violence, he explained out of the 3,000 years of the country’s history we have been free only for 600 years.

“Strength respects strength,” he reiterated. When nations around us are weaponised we should also have weapons for defence so that we can continue with development.”

At The International School Bangalore, he inspired a large congregation of students coming from different parts of the world by his words of wisdom. He was there to inaugurate the annual inter-school festival ‘Vivum’.

When Abhigna Renuka Prasad, grade VIII student asked the former president about his greatest wish, “I want to see a smile on the faces of millions of people in our country who live below poverty line,” he replied.  “What should we as students do to improve our nation” asked grade IX student Mythali Venkataraman.

“Excel in education, work towards keeping the environment clean and teach illiterate masses during your free time on weekends,” he said .

“India can contribute a lot towards aerospace, agriculture, health and knowledge for its growth and the world at large,” replied Mr Kalam to the question on how he sees the Indian Science herald contributing towards the growth of India and the world.

The former president also shared his dreams for India that he wished could be realised by the year 2020.