Kalam trips on dais, not hurt

New Delhi, Mar 1 (UNI) President A P J Abdul Kalam today tripped on the dais at a Sangeet Natak Akademi function here, but was not injured.

As the President was walking towards the podium to deliver his address, he stepped over a walking stick kept on the dais and fell on his right shoulder.

The security staff and the dignatories seated on the dais rushed to lift Dr Kalam, but the President himself quickly got up and walked up to the podium and delivered his address, lasting 15 minutes.

Dr Kalam also conferred the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships and Awards 2006 on the winners and listened to a veena recital, the spokesman said.

The function was held at the Kamani Auditorium, just two km from Parliament House.

''The President is absolutely fine,'' a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesman said. Recently, Dr Kalam suffered an injury on his right shoulder after slipping on a wet surface in the Mughal Gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan. The mobility of his injured shoulder had been restricted for some weeks until his full recovery.

UNI