Kalam administers oath to students for enlightened citizenship

Tumkur, Karnataka, Apr 7 (UNI) Continuing his mission to guide the students of the country, President A P J Abdul Kalam today administered a ten-point oath to the youngsters for enlightened citizenship, emphasising on the importance of education and honest living with clean habits.

Delivering his address at the 99th birthday celebrations of Sri Sri Shivakumara Swamiji of the Sri Siddaganga Math here, he asked the students to pursue their education with dedication, teach at least ten illiterates to read and write, plant at least ten saplings, permanently wean away at least five people from addiction and gambling, alleviate the pain of the suffering brethren and become an enlightened citizen.

The President also exhorted the students not to support any religious, caste or language differentiation, to be honest and strive to create a corruption-free society, remain a friend of the mentally and physically challenged and proudly celebrate the success of the country and its citizens.

Stressing the importance of teaching moral values in educational institutions for elevating young minds to higher planes and loving the country and other human beings, he cited his personal example during his education at St Joseph's College, Tiruchirapalli.

Institution Rector Fr Kalathil would take moral science class for an hour every Monday and talk about good human beings and what made a good human being. He used to give lectures on personalities such as Gautam Buddha, Confucius, St Augustine, Califa Omar, Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln and moral stories linked to the country's civilisational heritage, he said.

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