"If India has to become a developed nation by the year 2020, Bihar
must progress by 2015 or the development of the entire nation would
be stalled," President of India Dr. A. P. J. Kalam said in Patna on
Friday where he attended a series of social functions including the
convocations at Patna University and L. N. Mithila University in
Darbhanga.

The President, while addressing the Patna University graduating
students at Sri Krishna Memorial Hall, said that Bihar needed a
clear vision and a deep desire to progress with time so it's able to
compete with other developed states. Calling it 'Bihar Vision:
Developed State by 2015", Mr. Kalam said that with collective will
and efforts, there was no reason why Bihar couldn't stand on on its
own and move forward in future along with the rest of the
progressing states.

"The people also must realize that crime or corruption doesn't pay
in the long run; it only derails the path to development and
fragments the society. What is needed here is total realization that
situation could be improved and we can look forward to a brighter
future," the President said adding the people of Bihar must shun all
short-term and parochial attitude and work together for a better
Bihar.

"I have no doubt that the rest of the nation will also join Bihar
its efforts to embrace development," he said.

President Kalam, at the insistence of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar,
agreed to visit Bihar again in March to offer directions to put
Bihar back on the path of development.

Though the President remained uncommitted on according the status of
Central University to Patna University, Kumar said that his
government was committed to raised the academic standard in Bihar
with better educational policies and a change in curriculum to
reflect the modern day needs.

Even I am a product of Patna University and made my entry into
politics through Patna University students' union but in our days we
fought for our rights in a dignified manner and not by indulging in
vandalism or other anti-social activities," Kumar said.

The President also inaugurated the mobile court at Patna High Court
on the lines of similar facility earlier introduced in Gujarat with
tremendous success. "Justice delayed is justice denied. With mobile
courts, many cases can be settled in less time with less hassles,"
he said.

The President also visited the Mahavir Cancer Institute in
Phulwarisharif where he inaugurated the Pediatric Oncology ward to
combat cancer among children.

Mingling freely with cancer-struck children, President Kalam
appealed to them to never let the smile from their faces wane for
that was very important for a fast recovery for each patient.

When Mr. Kalam announced his resolve to pay for the treatment of ten
children inflicted with the deadly disease, the hospital secretary
Acharya Kishore Kunal stepped up to the plate and announced that in
the honor of the President, the hospital, from now on, would treat
all under-privileged children suffering from cancer entirely free of
cost.

In Darbhanga, where his arrival was delayed due to extreme fog, the
President appealed to the students of Lalit Narain Mithila
University to follow a path of honesty and hard work in the joint
effort to rebuild the state and the nation. "If all educated persons
taught ten uneducated persons, the results could be miraculous,"
said Mr. Kalam.

While in Darbhanga, he also inaugurated the Women's Institute of
Technology amidst the presence of Chief Minister and the Governor of
Bihar.

The final leg of the President's trip to Bihar was the historical
Khudabaksh Oriental Library on Patna's Ashok Rajpath where he
encouraged digitizing all important documents and journals that it
proudly houses. "Using the new technology, we must try to preserve
these rare documents for the benefit of the future generations," he
said.

During the day, Mr. Kalam also found time to meet his former
colleague and scientist friend Manas Bihari Verma. It was an
emotional reunion with Mr. Verma visibly moved by the President's
gesture.

Dr. Verma worked under Dr. Kalam at the Aeronautical Development
Agency in Bangalore before retiring and settling at his village in
Bihar. He was also the key scientist in the development of light
combat aircraft 'Tejaswa' later adopted by the former Prime Minister
and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee.