Never felt far away from India: Suu Kyi

"I feel myself partly a citizen of India, a citizen of love and honour," 67-year-old Suu Kyi said, addressing "my girls" in Lady Sri Ram College here from where she graduated in 1964.

Reminiscing her formative years in the prestigious institution, the pro-democracy leader said she never felt far away from India even in days when she had little contacts with this country, which she last visited in 1987.

She said she did not think that the people of India were connected to her through an intellectual bond but it was more of an emotional bond.

"Coming back to LSR (Lady Sri Ram) is not just coming back home, it is coming back to a place where I know my aspirations have not been wrong," Suu Kyi, who has been waging a campaign for democracy in Myanmar for decades, said.

"I always knew I would come back to this hall where I had learned to sing one of Gandhi's favourite songs - Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram," a smiling Suu Kyi said drawing loud applause from the audience.

Addressing a jam-packed auditorium with alumni and students in attendance, Suu Kyi talked about her fight for democracy in the country reminding the audience that democratic rights were very precious.

"It's only when you don't have them, you realise how precious they are," she said, adding that many things were taken for granted here which "we are fighting for, struggling for in Burma."

Noting that her country needs India's help in its progression towards democracy, she made a passionate plea, saying, "We are trying to achieve democracy. In our endeavour we need you, we need your help." (More)