The 11th President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, was an exceptional scientist in addition to a great leader. He was awarded the esteemed Bharat Ratna award for his outstanding contributions to science and space research. Regretfully, while giving a speech in Shillong on July 27, 2015, Dr. Kalam tragically passed away from cardiac arrest.
Born on October 15, 1931, in the Tamil Nadu temple town of Rameswaram, Kalam was the youngest of five siblings, the other being Jainulabdeen, a boat owner, and Ashiamma. He supported his struggling family by walking long distances for his education and by distributing newspapers in his town while he was a student. Kalam showed early signs of a deep fascination with space, rockets, and aeroplanes. After completing his eighth grade at Rameswaram Elementary School, he proceeded to study at Schwartz Higher Secondary School located in Ramanathapuram. Later, he attended St. Joseph’s College in Tiruchirappalli to pursue a degree in Physics, and he graduated in 1954. He studied aeronautical engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology (MIT) in Madras (now Chennai), driven by his love of aircraft.
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s Journey
Missile Man Of India – Abdul Kalam began working as a senior scientific assistant at DTD&P(Air), which is now DGAQA, in 1958. Later that year, he relocated to DRDO and began contributing to the design of hovercrafts. His distinguished career in rocket and missile technologies began when he joined ISRO in 1969 as a rocket engineer. He created four missiles at ISRO (1969–1982): Agni, Trishul, Akash, and Nag. Known as the “Missile Man of India,” he participated in the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in May 1998 while serving as Chief Scientific Advisor.
President Of The People – From 2002 to 2007, Dr. Kalam led India as its 11th president. He was well-known for his love of engaging with people, particularly the younger generation. He greeted schoolchildren at Rashtrapati Bhavan with warmth and genuine enthusiasm in sparking their curiosity.
Achievements & Awards – In an effort to provide urban facilities to rural communities, Dr. Kalam unveiled the PURA model in 2013. He and Dr. Soma Raju worked together to develop a medical pill and the “Kalam-Raju Stent” in 2012. He created lightweight artificial callipers for children affected by polio and launched the ‘What Can I Give’ initiative to fight corruption. He held posts at IIST and IIMs in addition to being a professor at Anna University. In addition to receiving prominent honours like the Bharat Ratna, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan, he was also honoured with honorary doctorates from 40 universities.
A Writer – Notable publications written by Dr. Kalam include “India 2020,” “Wings of Fire,” “Ignited Minds,” “Turning Points,” “My Journey,” and “Failure is a Teacher.”
Death – Young people were inspired by Dr. Kalam until his final breath. He died at the age of 83 on July 27, 2015, after collapsing during a presentation at IIM Shillong.
