Barrackpore (West Bengal): President A P J Abdul Kalam on January 21 urged children to emulate the leadership and courage of Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Nehru and the ideals of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda to make their lives successful.

"Courage is the driving force of success. You have to follow the indomitable spirit and leadership qualities of great men like Gandhiji, Nehruji and the ideals set by Sri Ramakrishna and Vivekananda," the President said during an inter-action with children of the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Mission in this North 24-Parganas district town.

Dressed in deep blue bandhgala, the President went around the ashram, enquiring about the children staying there and the activities of the Mission. He took delight in answering questions put to him by the children.

When the children asked him about the clue to his success, Kalam replied 'hard labour'. "Yes, 100 per cent," was the President's reply when asked if the country was capable of defending itself.

Buttonholing mission founder Swami Nityananda, the President asked him what his name signified.

When Nityananda said it meant 'eternal delight', the President complimented him saying he had noticed that everyone in the ashram, including handicapped children, appeared to be 'very happy'.

Asking the children to draw near, who willingly obliged by jumping security barricades, the President dwelt on the leadership qualities of Gandhi.

He said the Father of the Nation directed Nehru to hoist the tricolour on August 15, 1947, when he himself was on fast to stop communal riots in the country following the partition.

"The real leader is he who can remove the pain of the people," he said pointing to Gandhi's role during the riots in Noakhali.

"Don't lose courage. Success will come ultimately. We need the spirit of victory," he said.

Kalam also spoke about eminent physicist C V Raman, who took a leading role in bridging the gap between science and society.

During his 45-minute stay, the President posed for photographs with the children who touched his feet with reverence.

He was accompanied by West Bengal Governor Viren J Shah, Minority Development and Welfare Minister Mohammed Selim and Communist Party of India – Marxist (CPM) Member of Parliament Tarit Topdar.

PTI