Thursday, September 22 2005 15:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Gangtok: President A P J Abdul Kalam today (Sept 22, 2005) said that he will resume his academic pursuits after his tenure is over in July 2007.

Though he found both his roles as a President and scientist equally challenging, he will go back to teaching and research after his Presidential tenure is over, Kalam said while replying to a question put forward by a student at an interactive session at T N Senior Secondary School here.

The interactive session lasted more than 30 minutes during which students representing different schools in and around Gantok asked him both general and scientific questions.

He told the students that they were the future of the country as they were its biggest assets. He asked them to dedicate themselves to the task of nation building because society cannot prosper without their contribution.

Kalam also asked the students questions about the earth's rotation, it's axis, the galaxy and the planets.

When asked by one of the students what was the best and worst thing he had experienced as the President of India, Kalam said the best thing was that his tenure had given him an oppourtunity to interact with over 600,000 students all over the country, something which he enjoys the most.

The worst thing was that his tours through the length and breadth of the country had brought him face to face with millions of people living below poverty line. He said poverty should be taken as the biggest challenge and we should leave no stone unturned to fight it out.