• Home

Dubai students floored by Kalam's simplicity

DUBAI — The 35 Dubai-based students, who had gone to India to meet Indian President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam last week have come back totally awed and overwhelmed by their visit.

The students, from Dubai Modern High School, say they were humbled by their experience and believe that the 45-minute interaction with President Kalam would be etched in their minds for a long time to come.

The first thing that struck young Nikita Philip from Grade VII was that a man of his stature did not have any airs about himself, but “simply behaved like any other person”. "He seemed so comfortable with us and among children. I really liked his down-to-earth personality," she says enthusiastically.

"It was a rather intellectual experience given that we were talking to the first citizen of India. Were awed by the simplicity of his mind and his demeanour," says Adhitya Srinivasan of Grade XII.

Inspired by the President's emphasis on the power of the youth and the power of dreams, the students believe that their brief encounter with one of India's scientists has left a deep impact on their minds. After reading and researching about him extensively, the face-to-face meeting, according to the students, has only reiterated their conviction in President Kalam's vision for India.

Besides the pupils, even the school's principal Darryl Bloud describes his trip as an “amazing experience”. "He's a teacher at heart and has a lesson for everyone. His friendliness made us feel at home," says the principal after his first meeting with the President of India.

The students and the faculty were given a two-hour tour of the Rashtrapati Bhavan before their meeting with President Kalam on May 3.

• UAE