Former president A P J Abdul Kalam wishes he were a soldier in the 1857 war of independence and could fight for the country's independence.
Overwhelmed while paying tributes to martyrs at the Shaheed Smarak during his visit to Meerut on Tuesday, the 'missile man' mentioned how he wished to be a part of the nation's struggle for freedom.
"The youth of India realise as to how India attained the independence, how daring it was, and what kind of leadership was required, all the problems facing the nation will be solved," he said.
Kalam also visited an exhibition of photographs on the role of beggars and saints in the freedom struggle.
Later talking to reporters, Kalam said India's human values can help it tide over all the crisis.
"India's struggle for independence was based on humanity. China can never be an obstacle to us since its atomic power can never overcome our human values," he said.
During a function held at the Meerut Institute of Engineering and Technology, the former president met several school students who amused him with posers on how he started his career as a scientist and what India lacks to be an "advanced" nation.
Advising the teachers to hone the talents of children, Kalam said, "Whatever I have achieved in life is the result of my teachers' hard labour."
