Kalam to come back to Anna University on July 25

Chennai, July 18: The suspense is over. President A P J Abdul Kalam will come back to Anna University here to teach.

The renowned missile scientist would arrive here on July 25, a day after demitting office as President and stay in the University campus, where a guest house was being readied for him.

In addition, a room was being readied for Dr Kalam within the University premises.

University Vice Chancellor D Viswanathan said Dr Kalam had called him up last evening and said he would be there on July 25 and asked him to arrange a guest house for his stay.

The President had already expressed his desire to go back to teaching after he refused to seek a second term in the absence of a consensus.

Dr Kalam had promised to continue to serving as joint supervisor for PhD and expressed his desire to handle classes for the undergraduate students and was keen to teach space applications, bio-technology and nano-technology, he added.

However, Dr Kalam did not specify about the duration of his stay in the University.

The President had also asked the Vice Chancellor not to arrange any grand reception for him, knowing well that the University was planning to celebrate his homecoming. Dr Kalam had served as Professor Emeritus at the University five years ago.

But the University was gearing up to welcome Dr Kalam back into its cloisters after he hands over the charge to the next President.

''We have made arrangements for students from colleges and schools to cheer Dr Kalam right at the gates of the university as he comes back home,'' Dr Viswanathan said and added that it would be followed by a felicitation function in which Dr Kalam would interact with students.

Dr Viswanathan said he would leave for New Delhi on July 23 and escort him back to Chennai on July 25.

Dr Kalam had also expressed his desire to work for Nalanda University, Bihar. His elder brother, however was anticipating that he would return home.

He had even refurbished the ''House of Kalam'' in the temple town of Rameswaram and had even arranged a room for his stay, expecting that Dr Kalam would visit his home town and spend some time with him.

UNI