New Delhi, Nov 18 : Greeting his fellow citizens on the eve of the 552nd birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday appealed all to follow the foot-steps of Guru Nanak and strengthen the spirit of harmony and unity in the society. "On the auspicious occasion of the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, I extend my warm greetings to all Indians, especially the Sikh community, settled in India and abroad," the President said in a message. "The implicit message of love, compassion and sacrifice in the life and teachings of Guru Nanak Dev promotes spiritual progress of humankind. His thoughts encourage us to emulate the ideals of peace and brotherhood in our lives. Guru Nanak Dev, while leading the life of a simple householder, emphasised upon service as a means to attain 'Ek Omkar Satnam, Karta Purakh'," the communique from the Rashtrapati Bhavan said quoting Kovind. "Let us all follow the foot-steps of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and strengthen the spirit of harmony and unity in our society," he said. /IANS