Agartala, Aug 27, 2012 : A decade ago in the year 2002 the CPI (M) politburo had decided to put up late Laxmi Seghal as candidate for presidential poll against eminent scientist and ‘Bharat Ratna’ APJ Abdul Kalam , consensus candidate of then ruling NDA and opposition Congress. Reports-albeit unconfirmed-had trickled out in the aftermath of the presidential poll that the Tripura unit of the party had rooted for Kalam but accepted the party’s central wisdom like communist faithfuls. Absolutely nobody is available here to vouch for exactly what had transpired in the lead-up to the presidential poll of 2002.
But president APJ Abdul Kalam in all his magnanimity had retained a soft corner for tiny Tripura in his noble heart. Within three months of assuming the presidency of the world's largest democracy the great man had visited Tripura and fascinated everyone by closely interacting with students in an auditorium, proclaiming a road-map for Tripura's development in a public meeting and offering sage counsel to the political leadership. His robust optimism and enervating positivism were contagious indeed.
But more was to come soon as the unorthodox president set about renovating and refashioning the celebrated 'Mughal Garden' within the hallowed precincts of the Rashtrapati Bhawan. As he desired installing two huts in the garden skilful craftsmen from Tripura came to his mind. What followed this is recorded in Kalam's latest book 'Turning Points: a journey through challenges'.
How his idea of installing huts took shape is impeccably described by the president in his inimitable style : " I installed two huts in the garden, both designed in keeping with the environment and using natural materials. One was built by craftsmen from Tripura and was called the Thinking Hut. I took many of my close friends to this hut for discussions during weekends and one of my books 'Indomitable Spirit' , was mostly written in this hut". The identity of the craftsmen behind the second hut named 'Immortal Hut' is concealed but the two huts nestled in corners of the massive Mughal garden provided the quiet serenity Kalam required for reflection over critical issues as well as ideas of poetry. 'Whenever a complex national decision was to be made, these two huts were where I sat and thought. Of course the inspiration for many poems also came while I was there' Kalam says in his latest book.
Apart from the pithy reference to Tripura in his book, Kalam has allotted two of altogether twenty seven coloured pictures to states of northeast. One picture shows him giving away degrees to ritually attired Naga students in the Nagaland univesity while in the other he is interacting with female folk dancers of Arunachal Pradesh.
But president APJ Abdul Kalam in all his magnanimity had retained a soft corner for tiny Tripura in his noble heart. Within three months of assuming the presidency of the world's largest democracy the great man had visited Tripura and fascinated everyone by closely interacting with students in an auditorium, proclaiming a road-map for Tripura's development in a public meeting and offering sage counsel to the political leadership. His robust optimism and enervating positivism were contagious indeed.
But more was to come soon as the unorthodox president set about renovating and refashioning the celebrated 'Mughal Garden' within the hallowed precincts of the Rashtrapati Bhawan. As he desired installing two huts in the garden skilful craftsmen from Tripura came to his mind. What followed this is recorded in Kalam's latest book 'Turning Points: a journey through challenges'.
How his idea of installing huts took shape is impeccably described by the president in his inimitable style : " I installed two huts in the garden, both designed in keeping with the environment and using natural materials. One was built by craftsmen from Tripura and was called the Thinking Hut. I took many of my close friends to this hut for discussions during weekends and one of my books 'Indomitable Spirit' , was mostly written in this hut". The identity of the craftsmen behind the second hut named 'Immortal Hut' is concealed but the two huts nestled in corners of the massive Mughal garden provided the quiet serenity Kalam required for reflection over critical issues as well as ideas of poetry. 'Whenever a complex national decision was to be made, these two huts were where I sat and thought. Of course the inspiration for many poems also came while I was there' Kalam says in his latest book.
Apart from the pithy reference to Tripura in his book, Kalam has allotted two of altogether twenty seven coloured pictures to states of northeast. One picture shows him giving away degrees to ritually attired Naga students in the Nagaland univesity while in the other he is interacting with female folk dancers of Arunachal Pradesh.
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