Addressing an annual function of the school, set up by his uncle and former Congress president Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari at his native place Yusufpur here, Ansari said that "along with Mahatma Gandhi, lakhs of people were active in the freedom struggle and many of them have sacrificed their lives".
The vice president said that it was due to those great patriots, people now were able to breath in the open air of democracy.
He said that the country has progressed a lot after Independence, but 10 times progress was still to be achieved.
Ansari said that along with the education, attention should also be given on the health of children.