New Delhi, June 15  : India requires smart, committed and idealistic people to give voice to the voiceless, President Pranab Mukherjee said Saturday.

"We need an army of smart, committed and idealistic people to give voice to the voiceless and produce tangible change in our society," he told the first batch of graduates from National Law University, Delhi.

Expressing hope that the graduates would take up legal aid for the poor as a life-long commitment and do their utmost to draw attention to the problems of the disempowered, he advised them not to do this in return for gratitude.

New Delhi, June 13 : President Pranab Mukherjee Thursday inaugurated a new audio-visual section in the Rashtrapati Bhavan library which will house historical speeches, films and footage.

The new section brings together archival material procured from All India Radio (AIR), Films Division and Doordarshan.

"The president watched a newsreel on the departure of Lord Mountbattenfrom India and swearing in of Rajaji (C. Rajagopalachari) as the first Indian Governor General obtained from the Films Division archives," said a statement from the presidential secretariat.

New Delhi, June 11 :  President Pranab Mukherjee Tuesday appealed for creation of adequate social awareness on women's rights and against "barbaric" acts of violence against them.

Mukherjee said that women have played and aspire to play a pivotal role in shaping the socio-political and economic development of our country.

Indore, June 8 : President Pranab Mukherjee Saturday said that no Indian institution figures in the list of top 200 universities in the world and added that higher education does not have enough quality institutions.

Addressing the first convocation of the Indian Institute of Technology, Indore, the president said that the drive to enhance the quality of education should engage the attention of policy makers alongside moves being made to increase the number of higher educational institutions.

Latur (Maharashtra), June 1 : Stating there was need to improve the quality of higher education in India, President Pranab Mukherjee Saturday expressed concern over Indian universities not figuring among the top institutions across the world.

"Today there in no Indian university amongst the top 200 universities in the world. This situation must be improved," Mukherjee said the valedictory function of the golden jubilee celebrations of the Dayanand Education Society here.

BJP leaders led by V. K. Malhotra on Sunday met the President Pranab Mukherjee and submitted a memorandum demanding the dismissal of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

They demanded either Sheila Dikshit should resign or her government be dismissed in view of her indictment by Lokayukta Manmohan Sarin.

Baddi (Himachal Pradesh), May 25 : Expressing concern over the declining standards of higher education, President Pranab Mukherjee Saturday called for identifying at least one department in each university that could be made a centre of excellence.

"It is possible to revive the lost glory of our higher education system and take at least a few of our universities into the global top league," Mukherjee said, while inaugurating the Maharaja Agrasen University at Kalujhanda, near here, in Solan district.

Shimla, May 24 : Expressing concern over rising incidents of crime against women and children, President Pranab Mukherjee Friday called for effective measures to ensure their safety and security.

Underlining the need for arresting the moral decline in society, the president told students of Himachal Pradesh University here to find answers for reversing the degradation of values.

Favouring imparting moral and quality education, he said: "Our universities have the capability to shape the minds of the youth."

New Delhi, May 24 : President Pranab Mukherjee and Vice President Hamid Ansari Friday greeted people on the eve of Buddha Purnima, saying Lord Buddha's teachings were of eternal significance.

The president said Lord Buddha taught the path of right action so that mankind may overcome its suffering.

"Lord Buddha's teachings of non-violence, love and compassion are of eternal significance. We must strive to make these teachings part of our daily life and tread the path of nobility in thought, word and deed," the president said.

Shimla, May 24 : President Pranab Mukherjee Friday expressed concern over repeated disruptions in parliament and state legislatures.

Addressing members of the Himachal Pradesh assembly at its Golden Jubilee celebrations, Mukherjee appealed to leaders of political parties to discuss and find a solution to this problem.

"Every legislator has got his job after begging people for their votes, and after gaining their trust. It would not be fair if he does not discharge his responsibilities," he said.

Hyderabad, May 15 : Leaders of the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) will meet President Pranab Mukherjee to demand that tainted ministers in Andhra Pradesh be sacked, party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu said Wednesday.

Naidu told reporters that his party had sought an appointment with the president to submit a memorandum. The delegation led by Naidu is likely to call on the president on May 22 or 23 in New Delhi.

Naidu had called on Governor E. S. L. Narasimhan Monday to demand sacking of tainted ministers. He said the governor, despite being the constitutional head, failed to take any action.

Guwahati, May 13 : President Pranab Mukherjee Monday termed women as the symbol of peace, love, humanity and dignity, while calling for measures to ensure they get recognition for their "selfless work" as well as the "respect and courtesy they deserve".

He was speaking after conferring two awards, instituted by the Assam government, to two distinguished women at the Pragjyoti ITA Centre for Performing Arts at Machkhowa here.

New Delhi, May 9 : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called on President Pranab Mukherjee Thursday amid speculation on the fate of Law Minister Ashwani Kumar following the apex court observations about the government's role in the CBI affidavit on the coal block allocation issue.

Official sources said the prime minister's meeting with the president lasted about half an hour. However, no details of the meeting were immediately available.

There has been speculation that the Congress leadership might decide to replace Ashwani Kumar following the apex court observations.

New Delhi, May 9 : President Pranab Mukherjee Thursday paid tribute to litterateur, composer and artist Rabindranath Tagore on the ocassion of his 152nd birth anniversary.

Mukherjee paid floral tributes in front of a portrait of Tagore at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, officials said.

The 1861-born Tagore holds the unique distinction of having authored the national anthems of two sovereign nations -- India and Bangladesh.

The bard's rich, diverse and vast literary output is virtually unmatched in the world. He was also a painter and composer par excellence.

New Delhi, May 8 : President Pranab Mukherjee Wednesday advised young parliamentarians to fulfil their responsibilities in terms of the people's expectations of them, saying pointedly that "it takes years to build institutions but they can be destroyed easily".

The young parliamentarians, from various parties, met him to present a copy of "India: The Future is Now" (Wisdom Tree). The book, edited by Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor has contributions by these Lok Sabha members about their vision and road-map for the country.

Shimla, May 1 :  President Pranab Mukherjee will be the chief guest at Himachal Pradesh University's convocation here May 24, while Human Resource Development Minister M. M. Pallam Raju will be the guest of honour, an official said Wednesday.

Vice-Chancellor A. D. N. Bajpai said Mukherjee would confer the degrees.

During his visit to the hill state, Mukherjee is also scheduled to deliver the first Rabindranath Tagore Memorial Lecture at the Indian Institute of Advance Studies (IIAS) here and address a function to mark the state Vidhan Sabha's golden jubilee. (IANS)

New Delhi, April 27 : President Pranab Mukherjee, the supreme commander of the armed forces, Saturday decorated armed forces officers for gallantry, indomitable courage and extreme devotion to duty at an investiture ceremony in the Durbar hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The medals included a Kirti Chakra and 12 Shaurya Chakras, two of them posthumous.

The president also conferred 10 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, one Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, four Bar to Ati Vishisht Seva Medals and 27 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals for distinguished service of an exceptional order.

Bhubaneswar, April 25 : Describing as "unacceptable" the recent incidents of child rapes and brutal assaults on women in the country, President Pranab Mukherjee Thursday called for introspection at the "repeated failure to ensure safety" and said solutions must be found.

Addressing the 45th convocation ceremony of the state-run Utkal University at Odisha capital Bhubaneswar, the president said the recent increase in cases of brutal assault on women and children has shaken the collective conscience of the nation.

New Delhi, April 23 : President Pranab Mukherjee Tuesday greeted the nation on the eve of Mahavir Jayanti.

"On the auspicious occasion of Mahavir Jayanti, I extend my heartiest greetings and good wishes to all my fellow citizens and in particular to the Jain community," he said in a statement.

Mahavir Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir, the last tirthankara (saint) of the Jains, will be celebrated Wednesday.

New Delhi, April 18 : A delegation of Punjab's ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), led by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Thursday met President Pranab Mukherjee to seek clemency for the 1993 Delhi bomb blast convict Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar.

The chief minister, along with his son and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal -- who is also the Akali Dal chief, met the president at Rashtrapati Bhavan here.