ST LOUIS: A memorable solemn prayer meeting and taking 10 oaths were the highlights of an event in St Louis where the members of Indian community came to pay tribute to the late president of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam at the Mahatma Gandhi Center in St. Louis
The Friday July 31 evening had the hall almost filled to capacity. People from all walks of life came and participated. Many spoke and expressed their feelings about the great soul, about how Dr Kalam’s life and teachings impacted their life personally in one way or the other.
Flowers were offered and garlands were placed in front a of a huge portrait of the late Dr Kalam sitting in front of huge tri-colored flag of India.
All of them lit candles in front of the portrait. A slide show with over two hundred pictures from many phases of Dr Kalam’s life, both while he was alive and at the funeral services across India including the one at his birth place in Rameswaram, were shown.
The eulogy prayer meeting also had the audio played out loud with Dr Kalam’s voice and speakers reciting the 10 oaths with everyone in the crowd standing up and taking the oaths one after another.
A group of Dr Kalam’s former students in the USA also took his well-known oath of principles meant for the Indian youth. All the attendees registered their presence at the event by signing in personal notes on a ‘Wall of sympathy for Dr Kalam’ that was posted at the venue. The touching sight was tears flowing from eyes of many people.
The meeting was organized by Sarath Rao, president of the India Association of Greater St Louis area with many other local non profit organizations including MG Center, Tamil Sangam of Missouri, Telugu Association and Kerala Association participating and pitching for realization of Dr Kalam’s dreams.
Ashwin Patel & Vijay Manivel
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