India has great admiration for Aga Khan: Mukherjee

President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday said that India has great admiration for spiritual leader Prince Karim Aga Khan and his noble mission of providing service to the needy and underprivileged in many parts of the world.

Mukherjee, who met Aga Khan here at Rashtrapati Bhavan, said: "The Aga Khan's stress on tolerance and service to humanity is a valuable contribution in countering sectarianism and fundamentalism."

He further expressed happiness that the institutions under the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) have been working in close partnership with various Ministries and agencies of Central and State Governments in implementing diverse activities in the fields of health, education, rural development, culture and promoting people's livelihood.

He also praised the restoration project of gardens at Humayun's tomb taken by AKDN.

The Aga Khan is the founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), which functions in 30 countries across the world.

The Aga Khan is in New Delhi at the invitation of Indian Government.

He is also scheduled to inaugurate the Aga Khan Academy in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, which according to reports would enrich students with world class IB (International Baccalaureate) education.