President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday urged citizens to contemplate Mahatma Gandhi’s life and teachings at least for a few minutes every day. Alluding to Gandhi’s teachings in his farewell address to the nation, the outgoing President said, “Whenever I was in doubt, I turned to Gandhiji and his famous talisman. His advice of recalling the face of the poorest man and asking myself if the step I am about to take will be of any use to him. At the risk of repeating myself, I will urge you to contemplate Gandhiji’s life and teachings at least for a few minutes every day.”
In his address, Kovind shared experiences of his interaction with citizens of the country during five years of his office, which “inspired and energised” him. “Farmers and workers from small villages, teachers shaping young minds, artists enriching our legacy, scholars investigating various
various facets of our country, business people creating wealth for the nation, doctors and nurses serving the people, scientists and engineers engaged in nation building, judges and advocates contributing to the justice delivery system of the country, civil servants who run the administration smoothly, our social workers actively connecting every social segment with development, preachers and masters of all sects who maintain the flow of spirituality in Indian society – you all have continuously helped me discharge my duties. In short, I received full cooperation, support and blessings from all sections of society.”
Kovind said he would cherish the occasions when he had an opportunity to meet brave jawans of the armed forces, paramilitary forces and the police.
Mentioning his visits abroad, Kovind said he found the love and concern for the homeland among Indian diaspora very touching. Remembering his childhood memories, the outgoing President said, “When I was growing up in a small village, the nation had only recently achieved independence. There was a fresh wave of energy to rebuild the country; there were new dreams. I too had a dream that one day I would be able to participate in a meaningful way in this nation-building exercise. A young boy living in a mud house could not have any idea about the highest Constitutional office of the Republic.
“But it is the testament to the strength of India’s democracy that it has created pathways to let each citizen take part in the shaping of our collective destiny. If that Ram Nath Kovind from village Paraunkh is addressing you today, it is solely thanks to the inherent power of our vibrant democratic institutions,” he added.
The President said he believes the chief goal is to help people to discover the joy of living. For that, first of all, their basic necessities must be taken care of. “We have indeed come a long way from the days of shortages of resources,” he said.
