Mutual respect natural to India: Kovind

President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday said mutual respect and acceptance of alternative ways of thinking and living are not just slogans in Indian society but formed the country's natural way of life.

"These lessons hold proof of us as a country, they hold proof within and between religions of our country and they hold within and between communities of our country. It is important to constantly redo this spirit," the President said during the 65th Convocation Ceremony at the Aligarh Muslim University here.

"We live in an age of globalisation, of building a world that just not accommodates but celebrates diversity, combines the best of modern technology with the traditions and cultures of our society to build the India of our dreams," he said.

"Such an India will be helpful for every Indian where every boy and girl, irrespective of background or the identity, can realise his or her full potential... Such an India will be a beacon of hope for restless world in the early 21th century.

"Given the legacy of Aligarh University, which as Sir Syed Ahmad rightly said was to hold philosophy in one hand and natural science in the other, I hope the students of this university will continue to contribute and make a mark in our society," he said.

--IANS

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