'Onus on youth to drive nation's progress'

For quality eduction, it is the exemplary teachers who are important and not just buildings, former President A P J Abdul Kalam said here on Tuesday.

He was speaking after inaugurating the JSS Educational Institutions Complex at
Malur built at a cost of Rs 13.5 crore, he said that by 2020 Indian will be a developed nation and the onus of taking the country forward will lie on the youth.

There is a need to work in harmony keeping aside the differences in caste, creed and language, he added. In an interaction with the students he said that the future of the nation will be decided by the student community. “Students should have a definite goal, must be relentless in their pursuit of knowledge and work hard which can change the course of the country”, he said.

Kalam said that there should be good rapport between the students and teachers to achieve progress in education.

The complex comprises primary school, high school and pre-university college, staff quarters, amenities block, library and laboratories.

Students from Kolar, Malur and surrounding areas pursue their studies in the institutions.

Member of the legislative council V R Sudarshan, who spoke on the occasion, said that the JSS educational institutions have been doing yeoman service in the field of education.  The veerashaiva community has been in the forefront of educational activities from the 12th century, he added.

At Kolar speaking at the valedictory of the Devaraj Urs Medical College on the outskirts of Kolar, Kalam said that “Knowledge makes you great.”

Five students - Amulya, Ambika, Aishwarya, Sinchana and Seetharam - presented him with letters specially written to him, a painting, “Vision 2020” and a collage of scientific inventions. Dr Asha Kiran of the Department of biochemistry got an autograph of Kalam on a T-Shirt on which she had painted the former president.

Queries answered

What should I do to become another Abdul Kalam?

This question was posed by a PUC student,  Syed Abrar, to none other than former President APJ Abdul Kalamin Malur. Kalam gave a straight and clear answer to the question: “To become another Kalam you have to work hard. You should have great self-confidence and study hard.”