Ex ADC to APJ Abdul Kalam Mr Ashok Kini briefing an incident of Rastrapati Bhavan

Above image is a still image from the day when the below-narrated incident took place. The incident is narrated by Ex ADC to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Shri Ashok Kini. The entire narration will help you realize one thing about Dr Abdul Kalam that he always strives to find opportunities to please every person in his life and for the same, he desperately did everything possible to remove the last residue of any ego in him if available and left no stone unturned to make his people around him feel good. 

It was the first visit of Saint Shankar Acharya to the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Since President, Dr Abdul Kalam wanted to give due honour to the Saint, he called me (I was ADC to the President ) to his office and asked me about the traditional protocol. I told him, I will receive the Saint at the gates of the Rashtrapati Bhavan and bring him inside.

After few minutes of deep thinking, he asked me- "What will happen if I receive him ?'

I said, Sir, you will make the Saint's honour above that of the President. He smiled. 

He didn't say anything. Then inside the office,

I briefed him, "Sir, I will bring him here, put his seat  on this sofa and will request him to sit and President will continue sitting on his usual sofa chair."

 He again asked me for a second time-

"what will happen if I make him sit on my sofa seat ?"

I again said- "Sir, you will bestow the Saint's honour above the President".

Again he smiled and didn't give me any direction. 

After thirty minutes, when the Saint was to come, a few seconds before, to my utter surprise, I saw Dr Abdul Kalam, standing behind me at the gate. I immediately went behind and stood behind Dr Abdul Kalam. He was there in person to receive the Saint with a garland and flowers. We received the Saint, walked through the corridors of the Rashtrapati Bhavan and went straight into the office of Dr Abdul Kalam.

When I was spreading Saints seat (Tigerskin) on the visitor's sofa which we had discussed earlier, Dr Abdul Kalam directed me to put the same on his sofa chair.

I was shocked by this simple, humble and great gesture. That's President Kalam. We offered fruits and flower baskets to the Saint.

After the meeting, I asked him the reason behind doing this. He smiled and said, ”I wanted the sofa seat of the President of India, to be blessed by the Saint's spiritual power so that who-so-ever sits here later, also gets the Saints blessings".

I admired my spiritual guru Kalam's these words and said- "Sir, you are not only a great scientist but also a saint in disguise too." As usual, he gave his meaningful smile.

Courtesy-

Lieutenant Colonel Ashok Kini

Sena Medal(Gallantry), Vishishtha Sewa Medal Former ADC to erstwhile President Bharat Ratna Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. 

Sudesh DJV writes on contemporary subjects in the form of Articles and poems which are in the interest of the Nation in particular and for Mankind in general.