President meets kids on Children’s Day

President, Pratibha Patil with a children, dressed alike First Prime Minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, on the occasion of Children's Day at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Saturday.Photo: Shanker Chakravarty

For over 450 school children from different parts of the country, it was a memorable experience as they entered the sprawling Rashtrapati Bhavan campus to meet President Pratibha Patil on the occasion of Children’s day on Saturday.

The children and their teachers came from Mahbubnagar (Andhra Pradesh), Bahadurgarh and Sonepat (Haryana) along with various other schools from the National Capital Region.

Three-year-old Vaibhav Kumar dressed like India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was delighted to meet Ms. Patil, who gave him a chocolate.

He soon became a favourite among the other children.

“For a successful person education is the strength. Indians worldwide are known as honest and hardworking... you should also strive to be one and excel in life,” Ms. Patil said while addressing children.

The children presented the President flower bouquets, portraits and paintings on various subjects related to climate change and environment.

“I wished the President good health and success. I loved the Rashtrapati Bhavan,” Mrinal Sharma, a student of class seventh from a Delhi-based school, said.

The children were taken on a tour of the Presidential palace and were treated to packaged sweets and delicacies.