I have no problem with this particular SMS-ish. It goes “We want A P J” and students are punching it to friends and family. It’s really not surprising they are rooting for APJ. Among a lot of reasons they may have, the most prominent would be that APJ has been a visibly student-friendly Prez. He seems to attend functions in educational institutions quite regularly. He meets students of all ages all the time, wherever he is. He is tech-savvy and has a web site that works. For students, a person with a web site is a person with brains.
The student campaign, initiated by Pune-based NGO Pune Nagrik Manch (PNM), has an online petition to the government of India urging them to make sure Dr. Kalam is re-elected as Prez of India.The petition posted on www.petitiononline.com, a free online service, in October last year has already been signed by more than 1,74,800 people.
This online petition reads: “We need the dynamic leadership of Dr A P J Abdul Kalam with his vision. I am a young citizen of India, armed with technology, knowledge and love for my nation, [and] I realize aiming small is a crime.”
“Our mission is to re-elect President Kalam as he is the only person who deserves to be the first citizen of our country. I cannot think of another name for the coveted seat,” said Sujeet Shimalkar, president of PNM.
Vibha Dham, a student of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), who has signed the on-line petition, said she was impressed by the President when she met him at a function in 2002.”The President expressed a genuine concern for the youth of the country. The scientist-turned-statesman is enlightened and has the right vision for the young population of India,” she said.
Kalam has become an idol for young students not only in India, but across the globe. Proof for this comes from the popularity of his official website www.presidentofindia.com The site recorded one crore hits as of August 15 last year. The President himself responds to the e-mails sent to him.
