Kalam remembers Hollywood hits as he demits office

NEW DELHI: Outgoing President A P J Abdul Kalam chose Hollywood hits of the '40s as a farewell gift for the 540 million youth of the nation to propel them towards making India a developed nation by 2020.

"When you wish upon a star, Makes no difference who you are, Anything your heart desires, will come true...," Kalam said in his farewell address to the nation.

"This poem is true for all of us, and particularly for our youth and if they aim great, I am sure they will reach close to the target or the target," Kalam said.

This is a popular song written by American pop lyricist Ned Washington and composed by Leigh Harline was introduced in the 1940 Walt Disney movie Pinocchio, where it is sung by Cliff Edwards in the character of Jiminy Cricket, a fictional character who is appointed to serve as the official conscience for Pinocchio. He is also a comical and wise partner who accompanies Pinocchio on his adventures.

The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song that year, and became a theme song for the Disney Company, used in the opening sequences of Disney anthology television series and in Walt Disney Pictures' opening logos.

The American Film Institute ranked it seventh in their 100 Greatest Songs in Film History, the highest ranked Disney song. In Sweden, Norway and Denmark, the song became Christmas carol, often referring to the Star of Bethlehem.