New Delhi : President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Home Minister Shivraj Patil Wednesday met a group of 60 Kashmiri children, who are on a nationwide study tour organised by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

The students' group comprises 23 boys and 37 girls from Rahatghar, a rescue and rehabilitation centre in Srinagar, with their age ranging between three and 17 years.

Interacting with the children, Kalam asked them never to lose faith in god.

The president said he had visited Jammu and Kashmir several times and was always struck by the smiling faces of the people despite the troubles that they have gone through in the recent past.

He said the smile comes out of courage and courage comes from a good heart.

Introducing the children to the president, CRPF director general S.I.S. Ahmed said the tour would help the children understand the country's rich heritage better by seeing it first-hand.

Earlier in the day, the young students met Patil at his residence. The home minister responded to various queries raised by them regarding infrastructure and educational facilities in their state.

He also assured them by saying that the government was fully committed to helping the state in its development efforts.