Date:11/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/11/stories/2009011160070500.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

President springs a surprise on Lavinashree

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: It was a pleasant surprise for M. Lavinashree, an eight-year-old girl from Madurai, on Thursday, when she received a call from the Rashtrapati Bhavan informing her that President Pratibha Devisingh Patil desired meeting her in Chennai.

Accompanied by her parents K. Muniasamy and M. Induleka, the youngest Microsoft Certified Professional met the President at Raj Bhavan on Friday.

Cash prize

Ms. Patil handed her a letter, in which she described the girl as an asset to the nation. She also gave a cash prize of Rs.11,000.

Ms. Lavinashree bagged the national child award for exceptional achievement in 2006. She entered the Limca Book of World Records in 2005, reciting all 1,330 couplets of the Tirukkural. During the 20-minute meeting, the girl showed the President a letter of appreciation sent to her by Queen Elizabeth.

When Ms. Patil asked Lavinashree about her ambition, she said she wanted to become a scientist, citing former President, A.P.J Abdul Kalam, as her role model.