Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam
Lata Mangeshkar
P.A.Sangama
Nitish Kumar
Chandra Shekhar
Raghunath Mashelkar
Rahul Bajaj
P.C.Alexander
Y.V.Chandrachud
P.S.Swaminathan

In politicians I do not have many friends. Sharad is not only one of the few friends that I have among politicians but he is by far my best friend among politicians.

I have known Sharad for about 40 years. Sharad came to know my uncle, late Shri Ramkrishnaji Bajaj, when he was a very young Congress worker.

My friendship with Sharad had very little to do with politics. I like Sharad for,what he was and for what he is. As I am quite frank by nature, I like the fact that Sharad, in spite of being a politician, is also quite frank by nature. He is very straight-forward and in my view is-genuinely concerned with the good of the nation. In one matter he was very different from me. I talk too much; Sharad talks very little.

Specially in Maharashtra I do not know of any other politician, of any party, who has the kind of grass-root support that Sharad enjoys. This is his biggest asset.

However, he not only enjoys support of the common man but also has excellent contacts with people in various fields. He knows of course politicians, industrialists, sportsmen, artists and people from almost all walks of life.

Sharad is also known to be a great organiser. He has excellent organising abilities. Sharad, because of his contacts and because of his own standing as a politician, is able to raise resources for his party. In the Indian political system a political party cannot survive unless some of its leaders are in a position to raise funds. Sharad has this capability.

India has great potential. Unfortunately, due to wrong policies we followed after independence and till 1991, India has remained behind most countries of the world. For this all leaders in India are to blame. Leaders not only in the political field but leaders in bureaucracy, leaders in industry, leaders in the field of education, etc.

India needs good infra-structure, i.e., good roads, enough power, excellent ports, efficient telecommunications, etc. India needs to reduce fiscal deficit. India needs to reduce non-merit subsidies. India needs more and more privatisation of loss-making units including banks. India needs more flexible labour legislation.

We Indians cannot be proud that 500 million Indians live on less than US $ 1 per day. This is a shame. Unless, the above problems are solved India cannot achieve its true potential. Even in the field of agriculture our yield and productivity must improve. Over 60% Indians live on agriculture directly or indirectly. In the U.S. 3% of the population produce all the food that the U.S. requires and more.

I believe that Shri Sharad Pawar is among those few politicians, who can tackle India's problems in the right way and carry all sections of the people with him in this extremely important endeavor.

I wish Shri Sharad Pawar the very best on his birthday. Like many of his other friends, I once again want to see him in a position of authority commensurate with his abilities. I have no doubt that Shri Sharad Pawar will ensure that our hopes in him are justified.