Kalam urges youth to become free-thinking

Bhubaneswar: Asking youths to give up servitude mentality and become free-thinking, former President A P J Abdul Kalam today said the Indian society needs to be reformed using reason, advancing knowledge through scientific method and opposing superstition and intolerance.

"It is time Indian youth emerge out of the servitude mentality and stand in world community as free-thinking human resource," Kalam said at 'Swami Chidananda Janma Shatabarshiki Mahotsava' here.

In his address, Kalam also quoted from his recently written book "Squaring the Circle: Seven Steps to Indian Renaissance?.

Stating that people of religion and spirituality can take lead in this mission, he said "it is essential to reform Indian society using reason, challenge ideas grounded in primordial identities of religion, ethnicity and castes, and advance knowledge through the scientific method".

Stressing the need to promote scientific thought, inquiry, and intellectual interchange and oppose superstition and intolerance, Kalam said we have a duty to work for young Indian generation?s release from our self-incurred incapacity to use our own understanding without the guidance of another.

"This incapacity is not real. It is self-created and self-imposed. Its cause is not lack of intelligence, but rather a lack of determination and courage to use one's intelligence without being guided by another," the former President said adding "let us give our youth this understanding enabling clarity of their perception."

Advocating unity among people, Kalam said religious leaders should give strength to the people to combat forces of division and embed the thought "Nation is bigger than the individual" in the minds of all.

Referring to challenges of modern society, Kalam said human society has always been at war within and now terrorism and low intensity warfare are affecting many parts of the world. The divine life society may find a solution for these types of conflicts, he hoped.

We can bring a doctrine of global cooperation built over the foundation of regional collaborations and core competencies of people and society of many nations", he said.