SHILLONG: Home Minister Roshan Warjri has called for inculcating the values of the People’s President (L) Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam among the younger generations.
Speaking at an official function to mark the inauguration of an accidental and injury unit at Bethany Hospital here on Wednesday to commemorate the first death anniversary of (L) Dr. Kalam, Warjri said the former President had a great personality and soul and his life would continue to inspire people through the years to come.
Stating that Dr. Kalam’s life was a life of struggle, she said that the former President has left behind a legacy which would inspire generations to come.
The minister also added that the People’s President was performing his duties as a teacher till his last breath.
The Home minister also acknowledged the services of the doctors at Bethany Hospital who put in their best effort to revive Dr. Kalam when he was brought to the hospital, even as she added that the doctors, nurses and other staff of the hospital kept themselves composed when attempts were being made to revive Dr. Kalam.
While urging the staff of the hospital to continue their yeoman services in providing medical services to the people of the State, she recalled that on the fateful day last year, two-three patients had been undergoing treatment in the ICU of the hospital along with Dr. Kalam but they were properly looked after by the hospital authorities, despite the ensuing chaos which surfaced after Dr. Kalam was rushed to the hospital from IIM Shillong.
The accidental and injury unit at Bethany Hospital was inaugurated on Wednesday as a mark of respect to (L) Dr. Kalam who breathed his last in the same hospital exactly a year ago.
‘Kalam put IIM Shillong on the world platform’
The demise of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the former Indian President on July 27, 2015 at IIM Shillong undoubtedly put the quaint hill state into the limelight for a long time but his death also brought the entire North Eastern region together, observed Prof. Amitabha De, Director, IIM Shillong, on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters at the end of the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Lecture Series, Session 1, held at the State Convention Centre here, Prof. De said, “His death has connected the entire North East and it is not just about the legacy Dr. Kalam had left behind for the Institute.”
“The students fondly addressed him as Kalam Sir and undoubtedly he has put the institute onto the world platform,” he added.
The Director informed that there is a proposal to set up a Centre for Excellence called the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Centre for Policy Research and Analysis which is a strategic think tank for the development of the North East, in addition to the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Lecture Series which would continue for the next 2-3 years.
In honour of Dr. Kalam, IIM Shillong has initiated the ‘nurturing young minds’ project and the B-School will take another step with the setting up of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam auditorium housing 800 students with a full bust of (L) Dr. Kalam to be placed in front of the auditorium at the new campus at Umsawli.
Earlier in the day, the first lecture series was delivered by Manas K. Mandal, distinguished Scientist & Director General – Life Sciences, Defence Research & Development Organization, on the topic “To lead change and the changed way of leading” which revolved around the non-traditional forms of leadership.
He mentioned how late Dr. Kalam had inspired him and the nation as a whole.
