Dehradun, 20 June

President Droupadi Murmu, who is on a three-day visit to Uttarakhand, was moved to tears on Friday as a group of visually impaired children sang a song to wish her on her 67th birthday.

Murmu visited the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD). Addressing the children, the president said she got emotional as they sang beautifully.

"I could not hold back my tears. They were singing so beautifully. They were singing from their heart," she said.

The president said the talent possessed by the group reaffirmed her view that children born with disabilities are blessed with certain special abilities. She also encouraged them to move ahead with confidence, saying their success is certain.

Murmu asserted that the government policies are designed to empower people with disabilities and provide them equal opportunities to grow.

She commended everyone associated with the institute for working with dedication to empower children born with disabilities.

"India's history is full of instances of human kindness and inclusiveness," she said and asked the children to contribute to nation-building by getting empowered through education.

Addressing the children, Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (retd) said the country is passing through a transformative phase.

"We are moving steadily towards achieving the vision of a strong India by 2047 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. You are an integral part of this journey of nation-building," the governor said.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami wished the president a long and healthy life so that the country continues to get the advantage of her guidance.

"Her life has been full of struggles. Coming from a very humble background, she rose to positions of eminence and always worked for the uplift of the deprived sections," the chief minister said.

The president arrived in Uttarakhand on Thursday. She would inaugurate a renovated President's Retreat -- renamed Rashtrapati Niketan -- for the public here later in the day. She would also inaugurate and lay the foundation of various projects on its sprawling campus.

The president will leave for Delhi on 21 June after participating in a yoga demonstration programme at the Police Lines here on International Yoga Day.