As President Pranab Mukherjee completed a year in office on Thursday, a number of activities were organized in the Rashtrapati Bhavan to mark this day.
The 'Pranab Mukherjee Public Library' was inaugurated for the residents of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
On the occasion, the President distributed the first Library Membership Cards to select families of residents of the President's Estate. Specially designed bookmarks for the occasion were also distributed.
Addressing the gathering, Mukherjee stated that it is extremely essential to inculcate the reading habit in children from an early age.
He was happy to note that a dilapidated building in the President's Estate (which was scheduled for demolition) had been renovated and converted into the Library with a rich collection of books, newspapers and magazines along with the facility of reading rooms. He emphasized the need to revive standards of education in our country to the days of old glory when Taxila and Nalanda flourished as global centres of learning.
Mukherjee expressed the hope that residents of the President's Estate will make full use of all the facilities created in the Library.
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A Cricket Ground was also opened at Dr. the Rajendra Prasad Sarvodaya Vidyalaya within the President's Estate. The President planted a sapling at the venue and took a round of the pitch. He met members of five cricket teams at the venue and knocked a ball with a cricket bat.
A bronze statue, of Mahatma Gandhi outside the Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan was unveiled by the President. The creator of the statue Padmashri Ram Sutar of Maharashtra was also present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Mukherjee said that it was his heartfelt desire that a statue of the 'Father of the Nation' be installed within the premises of Rashtrapati Bhavan.
He was extremely happy that his dream has been fulfilled on this day when he was completing one year in office.
He hoped that visitors who come to Rashtrapati Bhavan will seek inspiration from the presence of the statue of Gandhiji in the building.
The President interacted with Governors across the country through a new video conferencing facility installed in the Rashtrapati Bhavan.