Monday, January 17 2005 20:46 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: It was a nostalgic President who today (Jan 17, 2005) harked back to his childhood, recollecting the sacrifices made by his mother and remembering his idol M S Subbulakshmi, as he unveiled his Vision for Women of India and appreciated the contribution of women in different areas.

"Womanhood is a beautiful creation of God. Always, I am inspired and rejuvenated by two great women. One is my mother and the other is Bharat Ratna M S Subbulakshmi," President A P J Abdul Kalam said in New Delhi addressing an audience comprising of over 580 schoolgirls of the capital.

An emotional Kalam recalled how his mother during World War II, when food was in short supply, gave him chapatis from her own share. "I still remember my mother in a full moon night which has been portrayed with the title 'Mother' in my book 'Wings of Fire'," he said at the interaction organised by the National Commission for Women (NCW).

About Subbulakshmi, he said he still recalls her statement that any raga has the purpose of directing the minds of the listeners towards God and His manifestations.

Offering as role models for the schoolgirls to follow Nobel laureates Mother Teresa and Madam Curie, he said they should not feel disadvantaged.

"Women are not handicapped. They are equal to men... recently I attended the convocation at the St George Medical College. Women took all the prizes. Sometimes men are disadvantaged," Kalam said interacting with the students.

"Especially in the areas of medicine and teaching, women are really dominating, they are doing very well," he said.

He said educating the woman was important as wherever women are educated, there are "small and good" families.

He also commended the proposed Bill for equal inheritance rights to men and women and said there should be no discrimination in property-sharing between sons and daughters.

Asked by a schoolgirl why despite the existence of legal deterrents, crime against women was on the rise, Kalam said, "Law alone is not sufficient. The evolution of a good human being starts at home. Father, mother should find time for their children and inculcate in them good values."

To a query on why there were not many women in the areas of science and technology, he said, "There is tremendous potential for women for partnership in the scientific growth of the country." He, however, noted that women were making their presence felt in the area of scientific research.

"I have worked in two scientific organisations. And in both places, as time went by, more women entered the field," Kalam said, especially recollecting the development of a new material 'carbon-carbon' which was a major contribution in the missile programme.

Welcoming the President, NCW chairperson Poornima Advani expressed concern over the depleting sex ratio in different parts of the country.

"South Delhi, where we are at the moment, has the dubious distinction of being one of the most girl-unfriendly spots in the country, having the worst sex ratio," she said.

The more than 580 students who took part in the interaction were from different schools in the capital, including Navodaya and Kendriya Vidyalayas, Lady Irwin School, Sadhu Vaswani Mission School and Delhi Government schools.