Srinagar: President A P J Abdul Kalam interacted with 170 school teachers from across Jammu and Kashmir and said a teacher was a "beautiful creation of God" and that the community should help people connect through children.

In his 40-minute interaction with the teachers last evening before concluding his one-day tour of Jammu and Srinagar, Kalam dwelt at length on the role and responsibilities of teachers, which he summed up as "evolution of enlightened citizens".

"God may not have made you powerful but empowered you to shape the future youth," the President told teachers.

Kalam said every religion has got two components - dogmas and spirituality. While religious dogmas that spread hatred need to be eliminated, spirituality has to be nurtured in the young minds as it leads to compassion and love, essential to connect people of this great and culturally diverse nation.

He told teachers that hatred breeds violence and it was vital that they must inculcate in students the moral education, which teaches good things of life.

When a teacher asked the President to give tips about development of primary education, Kalam said he believed that children in their tender age need not be unnecessarily burdened.

They should be given nice gadgets to play and dream. There is also no need to give long sermons, he said asking teachers to focus on hygiene and nutrition of the children.