New Delhi, June 12: Lauding him for his "spartan lifestyle" and "genuine secularism", Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today released a book on President A P J Abdul Kalam in six languages and assured government support to make the best Indian books available in other languages. "I often wonder how a simple man like him, with a spartan lifestyle, alone without a family, lives in his palatial new house. But place and position do not make a man. A man is made by his sanskars," he said releasing the book "Who is Kalam" by R Ramanathan, a close associate of Kalam.


Describing as record in India`s publishing history that the book is released in six languages simultaneously, he asked publishing houses to make the best books in any Indian language available to readers in other languages. "The government would be willing to support such an effort."

He said that Kalam`s fame, especially among the youth, was enhanced by the "inspiring" books he has written and added that after his unanimous election to the office of President last July, Kalam had brought "immense grace to it, and also a new sense of purpose that is all his own."
The simultaneous release in six languages - English, Hindi, Marathi, Urdu, Tamil and Malayalam - is a publishing record and will feature in the Limca Book of Records 2004.

The book highlights the little known facts of Kalam`s personality and the life in which he emerges as a multi-faceted visionary, having an abiding interest in music, literature and environment apart from science, technology and development of the nation.

Bureau Report