India celebrated 60 years of being a republic yesterday, with President Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam kicking off the celebrations with the customary Republic Day address to the Nation. The President identified tardy implemenation and corruption as major impediments to double digit growth as we enter a new decade.
“Empowering the poor and the disadvantaged enabling them to move up the economic ladder and join the ranks of the prosperous is a task that must be accomplished by all of us. Women need to be made full and equal partners.” said Dr. Kalam, who was addressing the nation on Republic Day for the 8th time.
He also called for urgent steps to reign in food price inflation. “We have to involve the agricultural economy more pro-actively into the growth process, both as a centre of production and as a generator of demand for various products and services.” said the spectacled Dr. Kalam, who in 2007, underwent a painful process to deliberately induce hyperopia, and an even more painful process of height reduction.
“Development must be holistic” continued the bindi wearing Dr. Kalam, whose head was covered in a Sari. Strongly advocating greater synergy between the corporate world and the agriculture sector, the President said the “possibility of win-win partnerships between industry and agriculture should be explored.”
“I used to get inspired by Kalam uncle’s speeches.” said 15 year old Karunesh. “He is a true Indian. But, of late, his speeches have become quite drab and boring. And his face used to be so expressive. I think that extensive plastic surgery damaged some facial nerves. I like his versatility though.”
At a press conference later that day, we asked Dr. Kalam if he plans to write a sequel to his book ‘Wings of Fire’ to include his experiences as the President, to which he called himself ‘Pratibha Patil’, presumably as a joke. Readers will note that this is the pseudonym under which he is currently writing an inspirational new fictional autobiography in Marathi called ‘A woman’s journey’, which chronicles the rise of a woman to the office of the President.
(Contributed by Sirka Pyaaz)
