Thursday, December 29 2005 15:53 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Darbhanga: Notwithstanding his busy schedule in Darbhanga tomorrow, President A P J Abdul Kalam has expressed desire to meet his former scientist colleague Manas Bihari Verma, who worked under him at Bangalore-based Aeronautical Development Agency.

Following communication from Rashtrapati Bhawan expressing the president's desire to meet Verma, we have made arrangement for one-to-one meeting between the two on the sidelines of the venue for convocation of Lalit Narayan Mithila university, District Magistrate Upendra Sharma told sources today (Dec 29,2005).

Verma was the project director of Light Combat Aircraft project, when Kalam was the head of the agency from 1991-99.

Elated over the meeting with his former boss, Verma told sources the gesture shows the greatness of the man. The scientist president is also a great human being.

"It was during the tenure of Dr Kalam that I designed the light combat aircraft Tejaswa, which was commissioned by former P M Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2000," Verma said.

Lauding Kalam, Verma, who joined the aeronautical agency in 1986 and retired in July this year, said Kalam was a loving boss and very friendly with his subordinates.

Verma did his schooling from Jawahar High School at Madhepur in Darbhanga district and acquired engineering degree from Patna Engineering College in 1965. Vajpayee had honoured Verma with scientist of the year award in 2001, while the present Prime Minister bestowed him technology leadership award in 2005.

After retirement, Verma is living in his native Rasiyari baura village spreading literacy among poor and downtrodden.