Meghalaya: IIM Shillong, Bethany hospital pay homage to Kalam

Shillong: Indian Institute of Management-Shillong and Bethany hospital paid tributes to former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on his first death anniversary.

Kalam had died here on this day last year.

IIM-Shillong, where Kalam was a guest lecturer and had collapsed while delivering a lecture on "Creating a Liveable Planet", launched the "Lecture Series" to commemorate his death anniversary.

Initiating the proceedings was Defence Research & Development Organisation's Director General, Life Sciences, Manas K. Mandal, whose theme was "To lead change and the changed way of leading", on non-traditional forms of leadership and conflict about leadership.

Recalling Kalam's contribution to India, he also highlighted how the former DRDO Chief who later became President had a different approach towards leadership and how he subtly changed the thought process of each one of us.

"There is a general misconception that leaders are generally born and only gifted people can become a leader. However there is also a general feeling that a person who has the leadership quality can be easily identified. Therefore, a leader can integrate context, content and intent," Mandal said.

Students of IIM Shillong also prepared a video to pay homage to Kalam and also talked about the various initiatives taken by them. Nurturing Minds is a programme started to spread his teachings and propagate his ideas, wherein they teach underprivileged children from schools across the city.

In addition to the lecture series, IIM-Shillong Director Amitabha De announced that various initiatives would be undertaken by the institution in remembrance.

"The permanent campus of IIM-Shillong at Umsawli will house a 2,000 square metre, 800 student-strong auditorium named after him, with a bust of Kalam Sir outside the auditorium. A centre will be opened in his name, as the A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Centre for Public Policy," he announced.

In Bethany hospital, where Kalam breathed his last, Home Minister Roshan Warjri inaugurated A. P.J. Abdul Kalam Accident and Injury Care Unit of the private hospital.

Bethany Hospital Director Dr. J.L. Sailo Ryntathiang described the new unit as the first step of dream to make it grow into a full-fledged Trauma Care Centre.

Quoting the former President who had said that "you have to dream before your dreams come true", he said it is "the foundation on which we stand and we feel it most befitting on his first death anniversary through this unit".

Paying her homage, Warjri said Kalam has left behind a rich legacy - "a legacy of great mind, a legacy of simple living and legacy of leading with example".