Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, who was sworn in as the 11th President of India today, said the country must become strong and self-reliant economically, socially and militarily and must achieve speedy development to eliminate poverty and unemployment.
Kalam also emphasised that the national security must be recognised by every Indian as a national priority. In his address to the nation after taking over as the President, the eleventh President of the country said he was wedded to secularism as a creed and wanted the country to uphold the best traditions of secularism.
The new President said cross-border terrorism, unemployment and sectarianism were the main challenges before the country.