President's Greetings on the Occasion of Makara Sankranti and Pongal

The President of India, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil has greeted her fellow countrymen on the occasion of the festivals of Makara Sankranti and Pongal which fall on January 13th and January 14th respectively. In her message the President has said, "On the occasion of Makara Sankranti and Pongal, the Nation acknowledges with gratitude the hard work of our farmers and those millions of people living in our rural areas.

Makara Sankaranti and Pongal are also festivals that spread the messages of friendship, harmony and unity. On these festive occasions, I extend my greetings to the people of the country and wish them success, happiness and prosperity".

The release issued at 1130 hrs