Thursday, June 2 2005 10:11 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kiev: The sanctions after the 1998 nuclear tests should be a lesson for India, which should strive to be self-reliant so that no other nation could take us for a ride anymore, President A P J Abdul Kalam said yesterday (Jun 1, 2005).

Replying to questions from Indians settled in Ukraine last night, Kalam, who arrived in Kiev on a four-day State visit, said that after the Pokhran tests, several countries had imposed sanctions against India.

"Everyone rose to the occasion from farming community to the Non-Resident Indians and we came out of the mess," Kalam said.

He said that it should be a goal of every Indian to make the country self-reliant in every field, including economically, so that "no one can take us for a ride".

"We have the potential to do so and now we should also take up the task of linking economic prosperity with values," he said and added this would speed up the process of making a major headway towards a developed India by 2020.

To a question about the criminalisation of politics and some of those facing trial in corruption cases being elected to Parliament, Kalam said, "Good people choose good people. You have the responsibility to select good guys, so select," evoking laughter.

Referring to the Indo-Ukraine ties, Kalam said that India would be looking forward to strengthening co-operation with Ukraine in the field of space research.

"We recently launched CARTOSAT-I satellite, which is tasked to map the country. The technology will be discussed with Ukraine and let us see if together we can get benefit from it," the President, who arrived in Kiev after a visit to Russia, Switzerland and Iceland, said.

On the literacy rate in the country, Kalam said that every literate had been given a mantra of "Each one teach five" and expressed hope that better results could be seen in times ahead.

The President was asked as to what the Centre was doing for the physically challenged people. "I call them special people. Already the Government has passed a Bill under which three per cent reservation is ensured in employment and educational institutes."

"Some States are not taking up this seriously. Now the Centre is taking up the issue with such States at war footing and we hope that the special people are benefited across the board," he added.

There was a demand by Indians settled in Ukraine to open up a Central school in Kiev to which the President said that he would discuss the matter with concerned officials.

"Before this, I will not make any promise," Kalam said.