Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

PM releases P. R. Kyndiah's Book

"It is for me a matter of great pleasure and privilege to release this, in many ways, a unique book which celebrates the joys of walking and indeed which makes walking not only a means of promoting good and sound health but also which helps to raise the consciousness and makes it almost a spiritual experience. Kyndiahji has just told us about the various quotes and verses which are mentioned in that book and that walking with those thoughts, I am sure, can contribute great deal to both physical health and mental health of the individual who has the privilege of going through this book.

This is an aspect of Kyndiahji's personality, I did not know much about. I know he has been a distinguished man in public life long before India's Independence, he worked with Rev. J.J. M. Nichols Roy, for getting the tribal societies their rightful place and that the Constitution of India has the Sixth Schedule that it recognises the rights of tribal societies to manage their affairs, that it gives an important place in our Constitution to autonomous district council functioning within the Sixth Schedule, I think Kyndiahji along with Rev. J.J.M. Nichols Roy contributed to the realisation of these aspirations of tribal society.

Even before India became independent, I am told, he served as the Chairperson of the Municipal Body of Shillong when Shillong was a part of the united state of Assam, twenty three years as a Member of the Legislature, as Minister, as Speaker, three times consecutively as Member of Lok Sabha and now my colleague as a Minister of Tribal Affairs and I am told, we will soon be expecting from him another book which deals with problems of tribal India and I do look forward with great expectation to that book and with these words, I once again congratulate Kyndiahji for having produced a very thoughtful book which makes even such a simple thing as walking a joyful experience and indeed as he said, a spiritual experience."