Patna, Jan 19 (IANS) President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's visit to Bihar to inaugurate a 'global meet' was planned in the wake of an email invite - a fact that's bagged the unassuming head of state many fans.

The Global Meet For A Resurgent Bihar will see 500 people, including NRIs, economists, technocrats and investors from around the world, participating in the three-day meet.

"It is a matter of celebration that even in India an email invitation is accepted by a president. It shows that the president is approachable to people by a click of mouse," Ravi Verma, the CEO of Telecommand, a software and services company based in California, told IANS.

Kalam, who is expected to arrive Friday evening, will be here for 40 minutes during which he will inaugurate the meet and address the audience. The president will then leave for Hyderabad, said officials.

Ajay Kumar Jha, another NRI who works in the US, said: "It is unbelievable that an email could click like this. Kalam has proved that he takes care of even an email."

Ramesh Yadav, a San Francisco-based software expert, said: "The media hype for the meet was created only after Kalam agreed to inaugurate the meet."

Ajay Kumar, the editor-cum-CEO of news portal Bihartimes.com and the man behind the email, said: "I sent an email to the president, inviting him to attend the meet last month.

"I was not sure of even getting a response. But it was a dream came true when the state government received a letter from the president's office in reference to my mail."

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar then took over the initiative and formally invited the president.

The state government is readying to discuss development strategies and attract foreign investment in agriculture, health, IT and tourism during the meet.

The meet is jointly organised by Bihartimes.com and the New Delhi-based Institute of Human Development with support from the state government.