Shri V.S. Achuthanandan, Chief Minister of Kerala,

Shri K. Radhakrishnan, Speaker Kerala Legislative Assembly,

Ministers of the State Government of Kerala,

Shri Oomen Chandy, Leader of Opposition,

Shri C. Jayan Babu, Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram,

Respected Shri Surjit Singh Barnalaji, Chancellor of Mother Teresa Women's University,

Dr. K. Ponmudy, Minister for Higher Education and Pro-Chancellor of the University,

Dr. Poongothai, Minister for Social Welfare,

His Excellency Mr. A.M. Ahmad Sambi, the President of the Comoros,

His Excellency Dr. Jonathan Goodluck, Vice-President of Nigeria,

Hon'ble Minister of Home Affairs, Shri Shivraj Patil,

Shri S. Jaipal Reddy, Minister of Urban Development,

Smt. Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister of Delhi,

Prof. Kamel Ayadi, President, World Federation of Engineering Organizations,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am extremely happy to be participating in the World Congress on Urban Infrastructure in Developing Countries organized by the Institution of Engineers India under the aegis of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations, and with support of the Government of India and the Commonwealth Engineers' Council.

Shri Kamal Nath, Minister of Commerce and Industry,

Dr. D.D. Lapang, Chief Minister of Meghalaya,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Hon'ble Prime Minister,

Smt. Sonia Gandhiji, Chairperson of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust,

Professor Wangari Muta Maathai,

Smt. Sheila Dixit, Trustee of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust,

Shri P. Chidambaram, Minister of Finance,

Shri Mahabir Prasad, Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises,

Shri S.M Krishna, Governor of Maharashtra,

Shri Vilas Muttemwar, Minister of State of New and Renewable Energy,

Dr. Shakeel Ahmad, Minister of State of Communications and Information Technology,

Distinguished Guests,

Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India,

Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, Chief Justice of England and Wales,

Shri K. Venkatapathy, Minister of State of Law and Justice,