President receives first copy of book by Meira Kumar

New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday received the first copy of a book authored by former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar.

Mukherjee congratulated the author, saying "each one of us can learn a number of lessons from her observations in the book".

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan released the book "Indian Parliamentary Diplomacy – Speaker’s Perspective" and presented its first copy to the president at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan, said an official communique.

Drawing upon the importance of the speaker’s office, the president said: "The speaker is the custodian of the rights, privileges and performance of the representatives of people in parliament who represent the spirit and aspirations of the vast multitude of people of the country."

"Parliamentary diplomacy has become important and these days a crucial work being undertaken by the speaker is carrying diplomatic work through attending various international conferences and bilateral visits," he added.

The book is an account of the role of parliamentary diplomacy in furthering foreign policy and strengthening international relations, the statement said.

It is also a collection of reports and select speeches made by Kumar as Lok Sabha speaker and as leader of Indian parliamentary delegations at several international fora.