Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (born October 15, 1931, in Rameswaram, India—died July 27, 2015, in Shillong), was an Indian scientist and politician who was instrumental in the creation of India’s missile and nuclear weapons programmes. From 2002 until 2007, he served as President of India.
APJ Abdul Kalam was born on the island of Rameswaram to an impoverished fisherman family where the elders battled to make ends meet. But, being the modest guy that he is, he did not refer to them as “struggles,” but rather “experience.” Poverty never prevented him from achieving his goals. With his fervour, he transformed the blackness of his dwelling, which had no electricity, into an ever-dazzling light. He never let anything stop him from learning while studying under the gloomy street lights. In his autobiography, he related the story of his childhood tuition instructor, who had only one condition: Kalam had to arrive before sunrise after bathing. And Kalam was never late.
According to his professors, Kalam received mediocre results, but he was a dedicated, intelligent student who was also an excellent learner. Abdul Kalam attended Schwartz Higher Secondary School. He later earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Saint Joseph’s College.
Kalam earned a degree in aeronautical engineering from the Madras Institute of Technology and joined the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in 1958.
In 1969, he joined the Indian Space Research Organisation as project director of the SLV-III, the first satellite launch vehicle designed and manufactured in India. After rejoining the DRDO in 1982, Kalam oversaw the programme that resulted in several successful missiles, earning him the moniker “Missile Man.” Among these triumphs was Agni, India’s first intermediate-range ballistic missile, which was launched in 1989 and used elements of the SLV-III.
Kalam served as the defence minister’s scientific advisor from 1992 to 1997 and the government’s chief scientific adviser with cabinet minister status from 1999 to 2001. Despite international concern, Kalam’s pivotal participation in India’s 1998 nuclear weapons tests secured the country’s standing as a nuclear power and elevated him as a national hero. In 1998, Kalam unveiled Technology Vision 2020, a 20-year strategy to convert India from a developing to a developed society. The policy sought increased agricultural productivity and emphasised technology as a tool, among other things.
In 2002, India’s ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) selected Kalam to succeed incumbent President Kocheril Raman Narayanan. Despite his Muslim citizenship, Kalam was nominated by the Hindu nationalist (Hindutva) NDA, and his notoriety and public appeal were sucThere are several stories from people who worked alongside this man and were inspired by his genuine caring, compassion, and attention. During a tight project launch, a scientist working under him once sought an early leave to accompany his kid to an exhibition. The scientist was three hours late because he was engrossed in his job and had forgotten about his parenting responsibilities. He returned home with a heavy heart, only to discover that his kid was not present. He was instead at his display.
h that the Indian National Congress, the primary opposition party, also supported his election. Kalam won the election easily and was sworn in as India’s 11th president in July 2002, a mainly ceremonial office. He resigned at the end of his term in 2007 and was succeeded by Pratibha Patil, the country’s first female president.
Small things like declining to sit on a chair handed to him at an IIT Varanasi seminar because it was larger than the others demonstrate how much he believed in equality. Sending a handwritten thank you note to a child who drew a likeness of him inspired by his book “Wings of Fire” demonstrates how polite he was to reply to and appreciate every nice and positive gesture.
Dr Kalam has accomplished so much for our country. Then came 2002, when the country’s dominant alliance, the NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE (NDA), was eager to nominate Dr Kalam to succeed incumbent President Kochirel Raman Narayanan. Despite being a Muslim, he was appointed by the Hindu nationalist NDA and was well-liked by the public. He was also noted for his humility. Furthermore, he comfortably won the elections and was sworn in as India’s 11th president, making him the first bachelor and scientist to inhabit Rashtrapati Bhawan. He was criticised for neglecting to rule on the fate of 20 of 21 mercy pleas, including that of Kashmiri terrorist Afzal Guru, convicted of the December 2001 parliament bombings.
What was Dr Kalam’s life like when he left office? After leaving the government, he became an honorary fellow of the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore and a visiting professor at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, IIM-Ahmedabad, and IIM-Indore.
He also served as chancellor of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology in Thiruvananthapuram, as a professor of Aerospace Engineering at Anna University, and as an adjunct professor at several other Indian academic and scientific institutes.
Civil society organisations condemned him in 2011 for his stance on the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant, accusing him of failing to consult the local population.
He was one of those well-known Americans who made significant contributions to society as a scientist, leader, and President. After his tenure as President expired, Kalam visited numerous religious establishments and colleges in India as a visiting lecturer. He valued sharing knowledge and motivating people to look at the big picture of life.
His contributions earned him three prestigious medals from the Indian government: the Padma Bhushan, the Padma Vibhushan, and the Bharat Ratna. Kalam was also given the Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration in 1997. In 1980, he received the Veer Savarkar Award, and in 2000, he received the Ramanujan Award. Kalam got honorary doctorates from 40 universities throughout the world.
If you are willing to look at his life and ideologies, you should try reading his books.
During his lifetime, he has written 25 books such as –
India 2020: A vision for the new millennium. ( 1998)
Wings of Fire: An autobiography. (1999)
Ignited mind: Unleashing the power with India. (2002)
The luminous spark: A biography in verse and colours. (2004)
The mission of India: A Vision of Indian Youth. (2005)
THE BLACK DAY.
Dr Kalam suffered a heart attack while delivering a lecture at IIM Shillong on July 27, 2015, and his status was severe. As a result, he was transported to Bethany Hospital. His final remarks were to Dr Srijan Pal Singh, who described him as a “funny guy!” “How are you doing?” The entire country was in shock and hoping for his life.
On July 30, 2015, the former President was put to rest with state honours at Rameshwaram’s Pei Karumbu Ground. Do you know that over 350,000 persons attended Kalam’s last rite, including the Prime Minister of India, the Governor of Tamil Nadu, and the Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh attended Kalam’s funeral.
At Pei Karumbu, in the island town of Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, India, a memorial was constructed in honour of late President Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam. It was inaugurated by India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, on 27th July 2017.
Final words
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was not your average person; he was remarkable and had a vision for his country. He considered it his highest obligation to serve his country. And the people of India will never forget his ideas or achievements for the country. He was a man without detractors. Everyone adored and remembered him.