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Overwhelmed by people's response: Kalam

Presidential candidate A P J Abdul Kalam on Thursday said he was overwhelmed by the response of the people after the announcement of his candidature by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Monday.

In his first reaction after being chosen as the NDA's nominee for the presidential polls, he said, "So many phone calls, emails and media reports were pouring in asking for a message."

"I am really overwhelmed. Everywhere both in Internet and in other media, I have been asked for a message. I was thinking what message I can give to the people of the country at this juncture," he said.

Reciting a famous verse from the Bhagwat Gita, he said, "Whatever happened has happened for the good, whatever is happening is happening for the good and whatever will happen will happen for the good."

He added, "The nation is bigger than the individual."

Kalam then went on to narrate the experience he had during an interaction with school children to instil in their minds love for their country and work for national development. While addressing 3,000 high school students at Porbandar, he said a tenth standard girl asked him: "Sir, what message you have for people like us." I said, "My young children, you all grow with a thought embedded in your mind that the nation is bigger than the individual."

"The post of President of India indeed reflects the integrated aspirations of the nation," he said in his message.

He thanked leaders of political parties and the nation for the confidence and faith they reposed in him.

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