>
> In the interest of accuracy it is my understanding
> that the President of India is mostly ceremonial.
>
> The actual head of State is the Prime Minister of
> India.

The Prime Minister is "head of government", while the
President is "head of state". He is mostly a
ceremonial figurehead, like Canada's Governor-General.
Actually India had a Governor-General for a few years
after independence.. the President's home in New Delhi
is the pre-1947 Viceroy's old residence, Rashtrapati
Bhavan.

>
> It is indeed fascinating that a Muslem is an Amma
> devotee
> (as it were). But is she not the Mother of Us All?

Over the years, they have had Christians, Muslims and
Sikhs serve as President.. but a PM who wasn;t a
Hindu..has that happened at all since '47?

>
> I find a few other aspects intriguing. Doctor Kalam
> was the
> Chief Scientist of India before running for
> President.

He isn't elected to the job.. doesn't have to run for
office.. my understanding is that the President is
chosen by the PM and confirmed by a vote in the Lok
Sabha (Indian parliament).

> To my knowledge he had no previous interest in
> politics.
> Similar to our Jimmy Carter Dr. Kalam is an
> engineer.
>
> He was one of India's top Rocket Scientists
> responsible
> for India's Satellite system

Like Canada's Governor-General, it's not necessary to
have been a politician before being appointed to serve
as President.. it's an honor for service to his
country (though in Canada, the G-G appointment has now
become just another patronage position offered to
slobbering Liberal Party hacks!)

>
> Another admirable trait is that the President is
> practicing brahmachari (sexual abstinence) and is a
> teetotaler.
>
> How many American politicians are publically
> sexually
> abstinent?

Since George Washington's time, probably none! A
couple of U.S. presidents claimed to be teetotalers
(Rutherford B. Hayes, for one), and of course Gee
Dubya claims he stopped drinking after he got busted
for DUI and found Jesus.

visit the President of India's web site
http://presidentofindia.nic.in/

Keval

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