Nation needs creative leadership: Kalam

India needs creative leadership in every professional cadre, changing the role of the leader "from commander to coach, manager to mentor" to fulfil the vision of "developed India", former President A P J Abdul Kalam said.

India needs creative leadership in every professional cadre, changing the role of the leader "from commander to coach, manager to mentor" to fulfil the vision of "developed India", former President A P J Abdul Kalam said.

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Inaugurating the 8th Knowledge Millennium Summit on "2010-2020: Decade of Innovations: Healthcare, Food Security, Energy and Water" here, he said, "the higher the proportion of creative leaders in a nation, the higher the potential of success of visions like developed India."

As in the changed world scenario "it is not the natural resources but knowledge defines power", he called for an overhaul of the country's education system to make it "creative, interactive and self-learning".

"The workers instead of being skilled or semi-skilled will be knowledgeable, self-empowered and flexibly skilled. The type of work instead of being structured and hardware driven will be less structured and software driven."

He also asked to involve young minds in the innovation process. "I have interacted with many young people who are showing keen interest to be the part of the process with their innovative ideas. We have to shape these innovations," Kalam said.

Professor Michael Graetzel, Director of Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces, Switzerland was conferred with 'Millennium Award 2010' by President of ASSOCHAM Swati Piramal on this occasion.