Rokia Afzal Rahman, president of MCCI, shares a light moment with APJ Abdul Kalam, former president of India, as Finance Minister AMA Muhith looks on, at the chamber's 110th anniversary celebrations at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka yesterday. Photo: Star

Leaders in every sphere of life must work with integrity to make organisations successful, APJ Abdul Kalam, the 11th president of India, said yesterday. “Leaders must succeed with integrity.”

“The quality of leadership will certainly empower the people of the world with the most potent and incisive approach to rural development and empowerment,” the famed scientist said, adding that a creative leader can be of any age. 

Kalam, who served as the president of India between 2002 and 2007, focused on leadership traits:

“Apart from these, what is needed is the spirit among the youth that 'I can do it, we can do it and the nation can do it'.”

He spoke at a discussion styled “Sustainable Development System for a Peaceful and Prosperous Global Society”, organised by the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as part of its 110th anniversary celebrations.

Kalam said the educational institutions should work on instilling these leadership traits and the confidence to perform in the youth.

Widely regarded as a national hero for leading India's nuclear programme, Kalam said ways have to be found to make university graduates job-givers, not just job-seekers.

He also proposed shortening the syllabus at the tertiary level from five years to three and using the remaining two years to provide them with on-the-job training such that when they graduate they can hit the ground running at their new positions.

Kalam termed the 110-year journey of the MCCI as a fantastic period. He said the MCCI as a proponent of ethical business, good governance and transparency has attracted him a lot.