Kalam set to finish India tour

He went to Gaya, meditated at the Sabarmati Ashram, paid obeisance at Vaishno Devi and offered prayers at the Hazratbal shrine.

And if all goes according to plan, President A P J Abdul Kalam is set to finish his 'Bharat Darshan' in August.

He has already visited 23 states and will cover the rest in August.

"This is a record. No President has so far visited the entire country in just one year," a Rashtrapati Bhavan official says.

Kalam, who completes one year in office on July 25, had said he would visit a foreign country only after touring India.

And he has stuck to his word.

Kalam started his visits with Gujarat in August last year, where he met people affected due to the riots and earthquake.

Then he went to the Northeast, 'an area that has been deprived of development', the official says.

He became the first President to visit the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and address troops at Uri.

On all his visits, he stresses on development and his vision for India.

He makes an effort to visit as many religious places as possible and meets religious leaders to stress on the need for tolerance.

He has also met all the MPs in the last one year.

The President got panels and banners made to explain to the MPs the core competencies of various states, various development monitors, what he expects of them and how to take the country on the path of development.

Kalam stresses on rural areas, connectivity, urban support in rural areas and networking of rivers.

He has given a whole new meaning to the seat of President; how by remaining within the constitutional limits, a President can contribute to the society, act as a role model and inspire crores of countrymen, his aides say.