Udupi: President Pranab Mukherjee laid the foundation stone for A Shambhu Shetty Memorial Haji Abdullah Super Specialty Hospital here on Sunday and stressed on the importance of providing better health infrastructure in rural areas and the need to encourage doctors to practise in such places.
Mr Mukherjee arrived at Mangaluru International Airport on Sunday morning and left for Udupi by chopper. He was accompanied by Bengaluru development minister K.J. George. He visited the Udupi Sri Krishna Math and had darshan of Lord Krishna besides meeting Sri Vishwesha Teertha Swamiji of Pejawar Math to seek his blessings. He then laid the foundation stone for the A Shambhu Shetty Memorial Haji Abdullah Super Speciality Hospital being constructed by businessman BR Shetty.
The president in his address also raised concern over the recent attacks on doctors. He later visited Kollur Sri Mookambika Temple and had darshan of Goddess Mookambika, before returning to New Delhi.
Siddu skips Udupi visit
As expected CM Siddaramaiah preferred not to accompany President Pranab Mukherjee during his visit to the Udupi Krishna Math. It is a known fact that Siddaramaiah does not enjoy the best of relations with the Udupi Krishna Math after the Kanaka Gopura issue and so many of his supporters did not want him to visit the temple.
