The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee today, met at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the participants of the "Save Girl Child" Skating Rally organized by the Belgaum Roller Skating Academy, Belgaum. This rally was organized by the Academy to portray the cause of "Save The Girl Child Campaign", and covered a distance of nearly 2000 kms, passing through States like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Speaking on the occasion, the President congratulated the Academy for taking up the unique responsibility of building awareness on an important subject relating to the girl child, on the occasion of Independence Day. He stated that the bias against the girl child prevalent in some sections of the society in India was totally unacceptable in any civilized society. He said that he was glad that the children, who participated in the rally and were only within 15 years of age, had undertaken the strenuous and hazardous challenge to raise consciousness of the people against the abuse and violence of the girl child.

Consisting of over 20 students, the almost 16 day skating rally was flagged off from Rani Chennamma Circle, Belgaum, Karnataka on 15th August 2012 and reached Vijay Chowk, Delhi yesterday. The rally consisted of students who have won State and National Awards in skating.

This release issued at 1930 hrs