Chennai, Feb 23 (UNI) President A P J Abdul Kalam has a penchant for administering oaths especially at functions involving young minds and the situation was no different today at the convocation function of Madras christion college (MCC).

After delivering the convocation address at the 170-year-old College at suburban Tambaram, Dr Kalam administered an oath of courage to the students.

Stating the country needed persons of great heart, knowledge and capacity to share the knowledge and courage to meet the problems and succeed, Dr Kalam shared with the students the unique nature of two great minds and Nobel Laureates -- Sir C V Raman and Prof Norman E Borlaug -- each with a special trait.

''They are Value of Science and Scientific Magnanimity. If you acquire any one of them or both, you will be heading towards becoming a Nobel Laureate or you will make a difference to our planet,' he said and dwelt at length on these two aspects before administering the oath to the students.

''With this background of unique traits of great minds, dear young friends, now is the time for all of you to have a great dream in life as dream transforms into thoughts and thoughts result in action,'' he added.

''Courage to think different, Courage to invent, Courage to discover the impossible, Courage to travel on an unexplored path, Courage to share the knowledge, Courage to remove the pain, Courage to reach the unreached and Courage to combat the problems and succeed, are the unique qualities of the youth.'' ''As a youth of my nation, I will work and work with courage to achieve success in all my missions,'' Dr Kalam said, signing off the nearly one hour function in his inimitable style.

UNI