President A P J Abdul Kalam will visit Jammu and Kashmir towards the end of this month, Press Secretary to the President S M Khan told rediff.com on Saturday.
He said the dates and schedule for the visit were being worked out in consultation with the J&K government.
Former governor of Jammu and Kashmir Girish Chander Saxena said the President's visit to J&K when India and Pakistan are inching towards a dialogue assumes great significance.
"The kind of personality that he has, the President is bound to carry with him the people of the state. The visit was very much on the cards and we had been working on it for sometime. Now it has been firmed up," he said.
Saxena said the President will meet school children during his stay in the Valley.
He will also present President's colours to the local police in recognition of their fight against terrorism. The venue of the ceremony has not been finalised as yet.
In Jammu, President Kalam will address a convocation of the Jammu University.
He will visit monastries in Leh and Ladakh region.
The President is also expected to meet senior army commanders in his capacity as the supreme commander of the armed forces.
Before Dr Kalam, his predecessors -- R Venkatraman and K R Narayanan -- had also visited Jammu and Kashmir.
In August 1992, Venkatraman visited Srinagar and stayed overnight there. He visited the Amarnath shrine and also travelled to Leh and Ladakh.
K R Narayanan visited the state in 1997 and addressed a convocation of the Kashmir University.
In 2000, he visited the state again to present President's colours to Jackalie Light Infantry regiment.
© 2024 Rediff.com -