Kalam moots $100 m overseas research foundation

PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS/ TO STUDY CHALLENGES SUCH AS EARTHQUAKES

President A P J Abdul Kalam today suggested that the Indian community abroad to set up an overseas research foundation with a seed capital of $100 million.

This foundation will be responsible for leading the research in challenging areas such as prediction of earthquake.

"The foundation has to identify institutions of excellence and excellent researchers and provide them the environment and resource to do the research. Overseas Indians will be remembered for this great initiative by the whole world," he said.

In his message to the overseas Indian community, Kalam said: "Wherever you are, whichever country you live, enrich that country with sweat, knowledge and dignity since you belong to a nation of that tradition. At the same time, remember that we have a common umbilical connectivity with our motherland India. Your experience in various environment in different countries will of course enrich India. I feel strongly that your prosperity is our happiness."

He was addressing the 2,500 non-resident Indians (NRI) and the persons of India origin (PIOs), gathered in Mumbai to attend the third Pravasi Bhartiya Divas.

The president awarded 12 non-resident Indians with the Bharatiya Samman Awards 2005 for their contribution in fostering the understanding of India, addressing India's causes and concerns, and the services rendered to the diaspora.

According to Kalam, such efforts resulted into the promotion of healthy bilateral relationship between the countries and "enable us to project the right image of our nation abroad".

He said over 260 million people out of the more than one billion in India are living below the poverty line.

"This is a challenge that all Indian must take up. The world is fast shrinking and as the forces of globalisation gather momentum, we need the education systems around the world to generate enlightened international citizens who would be able to work together as citizens of our planet Earth," he said.

According to Kalam it can be done through a combination of learning and value system an important component of which will be the graduating of religions into a spiritual movement and the most vital component would be to eradicate poverty by attaining economic prosperity in our developing countries.

This will result in creating international citizens who would bring peace on the Planet Earth, said. The Indians, he added, can make a difference to this world and impact the policies that govern the interactions between the nations.

"If only we can make sure that India.com "" an enterprise with all the Indian citizens and all of you have a common focus when it comes to India's future.

If the combined knowledge power and hence the economic power of India.com is large, our voice will influence the world forums for better world. India today is heading towards a sound economic growth and has become an enviable home for the best talents in multiple fields including science and technology.

If you are a successful academic or a businessman or an entrepreneur or an artist, can you take upon yourself like a one-man NGO the task of "replicating you" in an Indian here? This way you can help the nation building by direct quantifiable action," he said.