Ramanathapuram
Seeking to involve school and college students in carrying out former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s ‘Vision 2020’ and guide them in spreading the ideals of the late leader, the “Dr APJ Abdul Kalam International Foundation” (AKIF) opened its head office in Rameswaram on Wednesday.
D.R. Karthikeyan, former Director of Central Bureau of Investigation, opened the office, next to ‘House of Kalam’ in the presence of Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao, A.P.J.M. Muthu Meera Maraikayar, elder brother of Kalam and Chairman of AKIF, and office-bearers of the foundation.
Addressing the function, Mr. Karthikeyan, who had been promoting green energy, agriculture and water management, urged the foundation to support and join hands with organisation which advocated linkage of rivers to address the water crisis in the country.
Pointing out shortfall in rains even during monsoons, he called upon the foundation to take mass tree plantation programme to increase the green cover, besides carrying out Kalam’s vision 2020.
The head office would be of great help to thousands of students who visited Rameswaram to pay homage to Kalam at his memorial in Pei Karumbu to seek guidance and involve themselves in the foundation works, he hoped.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Rao said Kalam’s long journey from Rameswaram to Rashtrapati Bhavan was an epic. He was a great source of energy and inspiration to the younger generation and keenly interested in promoting green cover and environment.
Kalam firmly believed that the future of the country lay in the hearts of young minds, he said. Kalam had dreamt of making the country a superpower and ‘all sections of the society had the responsibility to fulfil his dream,’ he said.
A.P.J.M.J. Sheik Saleem, grand nephew of Kalam and Managing trustee of AKIF, said the foundation proposed to launch ‘one crore tree plantation project’ on Kalam’s death anniversary on July 27 to enhance the green cover in the State.
“We are planning to plant one crore well grown saplings in all the districts in the state by December, 2020 by involving school and college students,” he said. The foundation has already started growing the saplings in nurseries across the districts, he added.