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Thiruvananthapuram: President Draupadi Murmu on Thursday unveiled the statue of former President KR Narayanan at the Raj Bhavan in Kerala and described him as a source of inspiration for generations.
President Murmu said, “I am happy to be here to pay tribute to late President Narayanan, who was always associated with his childhood. He was known for always speaking about the role of education in human development.”
Incidentally, on Wednesday night, when he interacted with officials of the KR Narayanan Foundation during a meeting at the Raj Bhavan, he described Narayanan as a “historic figure and an inspiration to the nation”.
He said Narayanan has made notable contributions in various roles as an Ambassador, Chancellor, Member of Parliament, Union Minister, Vice President and President and said his life epitomizes excellence in public service.
He said, “KR Narayanan was a true son of Kerala and a source of inspiration for generations.”
Representatives of the Foundation submitted a memorandum requesting to issue a commemorative postage stamp and coin in Narayanan’s memory.
President Murmu assured him that the proposal would be sent to the concerned ministries for consideration.
During the interaction, ABJ Jose, Chairman of the KR Narayanan Foundation, presented the President with KR Narayanan: Bharathathinte Suryathejas, a biographical work written by him, and the Foundation’s documentary Uzhavurinte Putharan, which depicts the life and legacy of Narayanan.
Narayanan was an Indian statesman, diplomat, academician and politician who served as the country’s President from 1997 to 2002.
He was also the Vice President of India from 1992 to 1997.
Narayanan began his career in India as a member of the Indian Foreign Service in the Nehru administration.
He served as ambassador to several countries, notably the United States and China, and was called “the country’s best diplomat” by Nehru.
Narayanan entered politics at the request of Indira Gandhi and won three consecutive general elections to the Lok Sabha from Kerala and served as a Minister of State in Rajiv Gandhi’s cabinet.
–IANS