President calls upon citizens to maintain culture of joint family, consider elderly an asset

President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday urged people to maintain an environment in which the elderly have freedom of thought and expression, saying they are assets who symbolise the legacy and heritage of society.

He was speaking after presenting Vayoshreshtha Samman to senior citizens and institutions to mark 'International Day of Older Persons' at a function organised by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment here.

Appreciating the efforts made by governments and NGOs, Kovind said, "We should also take some responsibility at our level for senior citizens. Together we must maintain an environment in which they have freedom of thought and expression."