The Hindu : Gladys Staines meets Kalam

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 16, 2003

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National

Gladys Staines meets Kalam

By Prafulla Das

BHUBANESWAR MAY 15. The President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who attended a series of functions in different parts of Orissa today, left one person ``extremely happy'' — first, by giving her a patient hearing and, secondly, by saying that he was keen on seeing that leprosy was eradicated from the country by 2010.

Dr. Kalam met Gladys Staines, secretary of the 105-year-old Mayurbhanj Leprosy Home and widow of the Australian missionary, Graham Stewart Staines, soon after delivering the second convocation address at the North Orissa University in Baripada this morning. The Orissa Governor and Chancellor of the University, M.M. Rajendran, was present at the meeting.

``I am extremely happy. It was a special opportunity. I am thrilled to have met the President and apprise him about the work I am doing for benefit of leprosy patients,'' Ms. Staines told The Hindu.

Dr. Kalam, who came here on Wednesday evening on a two-day visit to the State, was keen on knowing if Ms. Staines was facing any problem in running the home and whether she was getting medicines free from the Government.

She presented to Dr. Kalam a copy of the book ``Burnt Alive'' which is a tribute to her husband and his work.

Delivering the convocation address, Dr. Kalam asked the Orissa Government to set up a bio-farm for the cultivation of herbs and for conducting research. The President also inaugurated the administrative buildings of the university.

Later, he met 400 students from different schools of Mayurbhanj district. The President then flew to Rourkela where he laid the foundation stone for the Biju Patnaik University of Technology. He also visited the Rourkela Steel Plant.

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