Harnaut: In the company of vice chancellors and discussing the state of education in the country, President A P J Abdul Kalam on May 30 undertook a train journey, becoming the first Head of State to do rail travel in quarter of a century.

The Presidential salon, cheered by a large group of onlookers standing across the tracks, rolled on for the fifth time in post-independence period.

The first Indian President Rajendra Prasad had for the first time travelled from Darbhanga to Nirmali in Bihar to inaugurate the Western Kosi Barrage. President Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy had last used it in 1977 from New Delhi to Mumbai.

The tastefully decorated Presidential train was equipped separate kitchen, bathroom, a special toilet for the use of the first citizen of the country and a special chamber for his staff. It had television, computer and satellite phones.

It reached Patna junction after covering a distance of 60 km in an hour.

After alighting from the train at Patna junction, the President flagged off the 'memu train' on Patna-Gaya section.

On board the train, Kalam exchanged views with the VCs and quizzed them over the state of affairs in their respective universities.

PTI