New Delhi: The Art of Living Founder, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, on Tuesday described Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, who died on Monday in Meghalaya, as a “President with a difference”.
The former president died on Monday in a private hospital in Shillong after he collapsed while delivering a lecture on "Liveable Planet" to students of the Indian Institute of Management.
Paying tributes to Kalam, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in a statement said the `Missile Man` was “deeply spiritual, connected with young people, and worked tirelessly toward uniting people of all faiths”.
“He was a unique combination of science, the arts, and philosophy,” the statement added.
पूर्व राष्ट्रपति डॉ. कलाम एक श्रेष्ठ वैज्ञानिक तो थे ही, साथ ही साथ उन्हें भारतीय कला, संगीत, योग और वेदान्त में भी गहरी अभिरुचि थी।
— Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (@SriSri) July 28, 2015
“The Art of Living had a long standing relationship with Dr Kalam. A man of humor, he deeply cared for society. In fact, as President, when he heard that I would be going to Sri Lanka to meet Prabhakaran and help resolve the conflict, he excitedly offered to accompany me even if it meant going beyond protocol.”
Art of Living has had a long association with Dr. #APJAbdulKalam. A man of humor, he deeply cared for the society. pic.twitter.com/pABn5DxdEs
— Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (@SriSri) July 28, 2015
“Also, a player of the Veena, he was an avid lover and proponent of Indian classical music. At one of our meetings, he suggested that he and I play the Veena together. His favorite song was Entharo Mahanubhavulu - `There are many great souls and I adore them all`.”
The last rites of the late president will be held at his native place in Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu tomorrow.
