Letter to the Hoot: taken in by an email

IN Opinion | 30/03/2005

Based on this extract, it appears that Mr.Kalam fell for an old hoax circulated on the Internet dating back to the year 2000.

Recently President Kalam gave awards to Indian innovators. This function was covered by various news media. In that function he also delivered a speech. An extract from that speech was published in The Asian Age as opinion piece and it is available over the `Net at: http://www.iht.com/getina/files/232097.html

Based on this extract, it appears that Mr.Kalam fell for an old hoax. In his speech - based entirely on an e-mail he received - mentioned about an incident that happened at a sports-meet held by the National Institute for Mentally Handicapped, Hyderabad. Except for the National Institute for Mentally Handicapped reference and 100 yards changed to 100 meters, this e-mail is a verbatim copy of a hoax circulated, dating back to the year 2000. The details of this hoax can be found at http://www.snopes.com/glurge/special.htm

It is really shameful that when our president fell, our media just kept watching.

Sincerely,

Seshadri

South Brunswick,
NJ, USA 08852

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