President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam stressed on the need for people's active participation in transforming India into a developed nation by 2020.

Laying the foundation of P C Ray super-speciality hospital at IIT, Kharagpur on Thursday, Kalam said, "Even though the GDP growth indicates our economic growth, people's particiption is essential for achieving the required target, focussing on the growth of National Prosperity Index.

" It is a must to ensure that the citizens are empowered with good quality of life, encompassing nutritious food, good habitat, clean environment, affordable healthcare, quality education and productive employment integrated with our value system. These will lead to comprehensive development of the nation and bring smiles in the faces of one billion people," he opined.

"These are the indicators for the growth of national prosperity," Kalam also said. If India was to achieve the status of a developed nation by 2020, the people's minds must be energised and ignited with new fervour and hope, the President averred.

Kalam stressed on the need for people to play a proactive role in the country's development, since economic development and the evolution of enlightened citizens for the nation would be the focus for the next two decades.

"Scientists and technologists have an important role in realising the mission of this developed India. To realise this vision, we need excellent minds for basic science and research and convert the results of research into application for national development, " he iterated.

"Mutually beneficial international cooperation will be an important element of this transformation, " he emphasised.

Calling upon the students to re-dedicate themselves to the cause of scientific devlopment of the country, he said the country was moving into a 'Knowledge Era' and, "We must ensure that the transformation takes place fast."

IIT, Kharagpur with its inherent strength in research and teaching could play a pioneering role in establishing a virtual university system in West Bengal, integrating all the engineering institutions in the state, he asserted.

The President called for transforming the School of Medical Science and Technology into a virtual medical research university, drawing the best expertise from various institutions from within the country as well as abroad.

West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi, State IT Minister Debesh Das and IIT, Kharagpur, Director Sisir Kumar Dubey were among the host of dignitaries present on the occasion.