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President ill, advised three-weeks rest

"Though the doctors attending on him are satisfied with his progress, they feel that the President should have rest for some more time and should not take any public engagement for another two to three weeks to recoup completely," a Rashtrapati Bhawan communiqué said.

"In view of this, the public engagements of the president are being rescheduled and the president will not be receiving visitors or attending any public function for the next fortnight," the communiqué said.

This means that the President would not be able to present the Arjuna Awards on August 29 or attend the Teachers' Day function on September 5, it said.

"The President has deeply regretted the inconvenience caused to the organisers and the recipients and suggested that the awards may be given without awaiting his convenience," the communiqué said.

It said that Narayanan had been admitted to the Army Research and Referral Hospital in Delhi in the third week of July due to viral infection 'and had developed post-viral asthenia (generalized muscular weakness)'.

"The President was treated by a panel of doctors and responded well to the treatment. He remained in hospital for three days only and returned to Rashtrapati Bhawan, where he is presently recuperating," the communiqué said.

While being discharged from hospital, Narayanan had been advised rest for four weeks, it said. He had continued to participate in 'unavoidable engagements', including hosting a reception for freedom fighters on August 9 and the Independence Day reception on August 15.

Narayanan had also delivered the traditional Independence Day-eve message on national television and radio on August 14.

But a scheduled meeting with Palestine President Yasser Arafat, who arrived in Delhi August 23, was cancelled. The two exchanged pleasantries over the phone.

Narayanan had cancelled trips to Ireland and Greece earlier this year.

His illness has prevented US ambassador-designate Robert Blackwill from presenting his credentials.

Officials said the President was unlikely to undertake any state visit in the immediate future.

Narayanan, who became the Indian president in July 1997, has had a chequered career.

Born at Uzhavoor in Kerala, he studied in the London School of Economics and was a student of Harold Laski.

He began his career as a lecturer in English and quickly switched over to journalism before joining the Indian Foreign Service in 1949. He served in various capacities, including as ambassador to China and the US.

He was the Union external affairs minister in 1985-86 and became the vice-president in 1992.

Indo-Asian News service

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