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PREFACE
In the loving memory of a pre-eminent scientist, a gifted engineer, and a true visionary, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, who was a humble humanitarian in every sense of the word. It was indeed an honour to write about such an esteemed person. May his divine soul rest in peace and his blessings are above the nation always. His ever smiling face can never be forgotten.
Avul Pakir Jainulabdin Abdul Kalam
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THE “MISSILE MAN” OF INDIA (1931 - 2015)
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vul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was a President like no other. The floppy silvery mop curling on his forehead, the twinkling eyes and the ever smiling visage seemed to radiate boundless infectious energy and positivity. Kalam embodied the new India story, born into a poor Muslim family in Tamil Nadu, he rose by sheer force of education to become a missile scientist, the “missile man of India” He made significant contributions to India’s Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998 which established him as a national hero. Kalam began his career as a scientist at the Aeronautical Development Establishment of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
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He was later transferred to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) where he served as the project director of India’s first Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III). He eventually rejoined DRDO and became closely involved in India’s space programme. he served as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister in the 1990s before becoming the President of India in 2002. Immensely popular during his term, he earned the moniker of People’s President. He was honored with several awards including the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, for his contribution to the nation’s space and nuclear programme.
Abdul Kalam’s family; From L-R Jainulabddin Marakayar (father), Asim Zohra (sister),Kasim Mihammad (elder brother),Abdul Kalam, Ashiamma Jainulabddain (mother)
Childhood and early life
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e was born as Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam on 15 October 1931 into a Muslim family in Rameswaram, then in the Madras Presidency in British India, and now in the state of Tamil Nadu. His father Jainulabudeen was a boat owner while his mother Ashiamma was a housewife. Kalam had four elder siblings.
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Even though his ancestors had been wealthy traders, the family had lost most of its fortunes by the 1920s and was poverty-stricken by the time Kalam was born. As a young boy he had to sell newspapers in order to add to the family’s meager income. Even though the family was not financially welloff, the children were
He was a good student and always curious to learn more about how things happened. When he was ten years old, one of his teachers, Siva Subramania Iyer, took the students to the seashore and asked them to observe the birds in flight. Then the teacher gave the children a theoretical explanation, which coupled with the live practical example, cast a deep influence on young Kalam’s mind. That very day the boy realized that his life’s calling had something to do with flight. After completing his studies at Schwartz Higher Secondary School, he enrolled at Saint Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli,
Abdul Kalam’s home in Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu
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graduating in science in 1954. Pursuing his childhood dream, he travelled to Madras to study aerospace engineering in Madras Institute of Technology. During his third year, he was assigned a project to design a low-level attack aircraft together with a few other students. The project was a difficult one and on top of it, their guide gave them a very tight deadline. The young men toiled together, working under immense pressure, and finally managed to achieve the target within the stipulated deadline. The guide was thoroughly impressed by Kalam’s dedication.
Life in the world of science
Top: Dr Kalam with Dr Vikram Sarabhai and Dr Satish Dhawan; Bottom: Dr. Kalam at DRDO; The Quint
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B
eing a bright student, Ka- without food and sleep. On the lam always had the support last day, his professor came & of his schoolteachers. They he was impressed and said: “I told Kalam that if he truly, in- was putting you under stress tensely desired something, he and asking you to meet a diffiwould get it. “This made me cult deadline,”. fearless,” said Dr Kalam. Although Kalam had led sevThe flight of birds had fasci- eral projects in his professional nated him since he was a boy, life, he’s treated each like his but he realised yrs later that last. Such was his passion. No he wanted to fly aircrafts. Af- wonder, he always led projects. ter finishing school, he took His advisor, Major General R up Physics at St Swaminathan exJoseph’s College, plained Kalam’s “To succeed Trichi, but tosuccess as a leadwards the end he er. “He has this in your mission, was dissatisfied. unique capability you must hwave He regretted havof being a boss single-minded ing lost three preas well as a workdevotion cious years. er. He can take to your goal.” At Madras Inon any role with stitute of Techease.” After comnology, Chennai, pleting his graduwhere Kalam studied aeronau- ation in 1960, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul tics, he learnt an important Kalam joined as a scientist in lesson: the value of time. He DRDO’s Aeronautical Develwas leading a project on sys- opment Establishment. tem design, when one day the At the very start of his career, principal walked into the class he designed a small helicopter to see his work. He appeared for the Indian army. dissatisfied and told he wanted He also worked under the the project finished in the next renowned scientist Vikram two days; else his scholarship Sarabhai as a part of the comwould be withdrawn. That un- mittee of INCOSPAR. settled Kalam.Kalam worked
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Life in the world of science (contd.)
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ays at ISRO In 1969, Kalam was transferred to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) where he was the project director of India’s first Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III) which successfully deployed the Rohini satellite in July 1980. Between the 1970s and 1990s, Kalam made an effort to develop the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and SLV-III proj-
Abdul Kalam with his collegues at ISRO
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ects. When Dr Kalam’s first major project SLV 3-failed the first time he was almost shattered. Also, around this time, Kalam’s childhood mentor, Jallaluddin, died. “A part of me too passed away...” said Dr Kalam. But he never thought of quitting after SLV-3. “I knew that for success, we have to work hard and persevere.” And so, SLV3 was launched again, this time with success.
He drew strength from philosophy, religion and literature to tide by his professional setbacks; also a life with few companions. In time, he also learnt to deal with professional jealousy and uncooperative team members. Kalam played a pivotal organisational, technical and political role in India’s Pokhran-II nuclear test in 1998, the first since the original nuclear test by India in 1974. He is chancellor of Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (Thiruvanthapuram), a professor at Anna University (Chennai) and adjunct/visiting faculty at many other academic and research institutions across India. Success followed Dr Kalam. Prithvi, Agni, Akash, Trishul and Nag missiles were huge successes. His efforts and dedication gained him the popular name as ‘The Missile Man’. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan and Bharat Ratna,
and then he became the President of India; one of the few presidents who have touched the hearts of so many poor children in the country. Because he also came from a poor background, he knew the power of education in changing one’s future. VISION 2020 In his book India 2020, Kalam strongly advocated an action plan to develop India into a “knowledge superpower” and a developed nation by the year 2020. Kalam set a target of interacting with 100,000 students during the two years after his resignation from the post of scientific adviser in 1999. He explained, “I feel comfortable in the company of young people, particularly high school students. Henceforth, I intend to share with them experiences, helping them to ignite their imagination and preparing them to work for a developed India for which the road map is already available.”
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Kalam’s tenure as the 11th President of India (25 Jul 2002-25 Jul 2007)
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alam was elected as the 11th President of India in 2002 with the support of both the ruling BJP and the then-opposition Indian National Congress. He was widely referred to as the “People’s President”. He was the third President of India to have received the prestigious Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour. He was however criticized for not taking any concrete actions on the mercy petitions of convicts on death row submitted to him during his tenure. In 2007, he decided not to contest the Presidential election again and stepped down as the President on 25 July 2007.
Post Presidency A.P.J Abdul Kalam ventured into the academic field after leaving office. He became a visiting professor at several institutions including IIM Shillong, Ahmedabad, and Indore. Interacting with bright young minds was what he loved the most and he devoted the later years of his career to this passion. In 2012, he launched a programme called ‘What Can I Give Movement’ to develop a “giving” attitude in the youth and to encourage them to contribute towards nation building by taking small but positive steps.
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Left: Kalam recieving Bharat Ratna Top: Kalam recieving PIndira Gandhi Award Bottom: Kalam recieving Padma Vibhushan
Awards and Achievements • Kalam was the proud recipient of Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan and Bharat Ratna awards from the Government of India. • In 1997, he was honored with the Indira Gandhi Award. • In 1998, he was awarded the Veer Savarkar Award • The Alwars Research Centre, Chennai, bestowed Kalam with Ramanujan Award in the year 2000. • In 2003 and in 2006, he was nominated for the MTV Youth Icon of the Year award. • In 2007, Kalam was honored with the King Charles II Medal by the • Royal Society, U.K. • In 2008, he won the Hoover Medal given by ASME Foundation, USA. • In 2009, the California Institute of Technology, U.S.A, presented Kalam with the International von Karman Wings Award. • In 2011, the IEEE honored Kalam with IEEE Honorary Membership. • Kalam was the proud recipient of honorary doctorates from 40 universities. • In addition to this, Kalam’s 79th birthday was recognised as World Students’ Day by United Nations.
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Literature • India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium (co-authored with Yagnaswami Sundara Rajan, 1998) • Wings of Fire: An Autobiography (1999) • Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India (2002) • The Luminous Sparks (2004) • Inspiring Thoughts (2007) • You Are Born To Blossom: Take My Journey Beyond (co-authored with Arun Tiwari, 2011) • Turning Points: A journey Through Challenges (2012) • A Manifesto for Change: A Sequel to India 2020 (co-authored with V. Ponraj, 2014) • Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji (co-authored with Arun Tiwari, 2015)
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APJ ABDUL KALAM Bidding farewell to the legend
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ome people are beyond mirror of an aspirational India words could ever describe seeking a new narrative. them. The missile man for his Unfortunately on 27 July 2015, contribution to nation’s space this great man passed away, and and defence or the people’s pres- even at that time he was delieident for his devotion towards varing a lecture at an institute the welfare of his people , Dr in front of students! The forAPJ Abdul Kalam was one such mer President was laid to rest at person. Dr. A.P.J AbRameswaram’s Pei dul Kalam is the best Karumbu Ground “If you want available example in with full state honthe post-Indepenours. Even after his to shine dence era to define sad demise he still like a sun, well that dreams and remains a ideal role first burn like will to achieve have model to many of a sun no boundaries and a young indians, ingreat determination spiring them with will lead you to the his own example, top. Kalam was the president to serve the country upto the that 21st century India warmed last breath. He showed India the to, an India that was trying to dream to become a superpower wrench itself free of the clutch- and guide the world. He will ales of caste religion and family. ways remain in the memory for His magnificent eccentricites his service to the nation and an made him lovable, his life was a inspiration to all!
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In the loving memory of late Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
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“Difficulties in your life do not come to destroy you, but to help you realise your hidden potential and power. Let difficulties know that you too are difficult.�