TAMBARAM : President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Friday presented his vision of `Ambience 2020,' stating that if Indians worked together with development politics as the focus, the country could be prosperous even before 2020.

Taking part in the 28th Convocation and 115th College Day of Madras Christian College in Tambaram, Mr. Kalam said that by then a `near zero below the poverty level' and 100 per cent literacy rate could be expected.

The Human Development Index of India would be less than 50 against the present 127, Mr. Kalam said, adding tele-density would reach over 75 per cent.

"All our villages will have reliable, uninterrupted quality electric power supply," the President remarked, adding the country would have realised energy security and work towards energy independence, ensured equitable distribution of water for drinking, irrigation and industry, sanitation for all homes, and would be using more renewable energy.

Mr. Kalam said by that time, there would be more "employment generators than employment seekers."

A pro-active system would also ensure quality health care at affordable rates even in remote corners, the President said, adding, "Prosperity will replace scarcity and control."

Mr. Kalam began his speech by asking students to repeat a few lines in Tamil that translated as follows: "Ambition creates motivation. Lofty ideals are flowered with motivation. With lofty ideals, we get more energy. Increase is the basis for good deeds."

Sharing his views on "Our Mission: Capacity Building for Societal Transformation" with the graduating students, he said a good educational model was the need of the hour to ensure that students grew to contribute towards the economic growth of the country.

He said the management of knowledge should move away from the realm of the individual and should shift into "networked groups."

At the end of his lecture, Mr. Kalam administered the "oath of courage" to the new graduates, urging them to be courageous to invent, discover the impossible, share knowledge, remove pain, travel to an unexplored path, reach the unreached and to combat problems and succeed.

He gave away prizes to 20 students who had topped the various departments of the college. Governor Surjit Singh Barnala said real education wielded great power to guard oneself against dark forces and served as a means to elevate a person's mind to think independently, creatively and positively.

Minister for Higher Education K. Ponmudi said after completing their college education, students should strive to take the benefits of advances science and technology to the poor and downtrodden.

Among those who participated were K. Ponmudi, Minister for Higher Education, Thangam Thennarasu, Minister for School Education, V.J. Philip, College Principal, A. Besant C. Raj, Chairman, MCC Association, Y. Prasad, Chairman of the College Union Society, Thangam Thennasaru, Minister for School Education and K.M. Mammen, President of the college's Alumni Association.

Of the 1,054 students registered for the convocation, 850 attended the function and received their degrees.

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