July 27-the momory day of “the Missile Man of India -Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, India’s “people’s president”, who made us believe in dreams. The entire life of him tells about the power of dreams. He was born in a modest family, faced hard times in childhood days.His father Jainulabdeen Marakyar was a boat owner and imam of a local mosque, mother Ashiamma was a housewife. He was the youngest of five siblings, the eldest of whom was a sister, Asim Zohra, followed by three elder brothers. As a young boy he had to sell newspapers in order to add to the family’ s meager income.While facing various challenges, he worked hard and studied well to achieve his goals. He went to study Aeronautical engineering, after education joined Defence Research and Development Organisation DRDO as a Senior Scientific Assistant in 1958. Later became a part of ISRO in 1969. At ISRO, he was given the responsibility of project director of SLV III, the first satellite launch vehicle of India. He then rejoined the DRDO as director in 1982. There he implemented the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme. Due to this Missile programme , he earned the nickname ‘Missile Man.’ who himself remaining a lifelong bachelor. Kalam was appointed as the Senior Scientific Advisor to India’s Defence Ministry in 1992. In 2002, he succeeded KR Narayanan as the President of India. APJ Abdul Kalam played an instrumental role in the May 1998 Pokran II Nuclear tests, first since the original nuclear test by our country in 1974. The 11 th President of India(2002-2007) was born and brought up in Rameswaram and brcame a Scientist and worked for DRDO and ISRO. He suddenly demised at Shillong on 27 th July 2015, while delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management on “Creating a Livable Planet Earth”. He collapsed and died from an apparent cardiac arrest. He was aged 83, he was laid to rest at Pei Karumbu, Rameswaram on July 30.A memorial has been built at the burial site.He spent 4 decades as a scientist and senior administrator mainly at DRDO and ISRO. He intimately involved in India’s civilian space programme and millitory missile development efforts. He successfully lead the research team in the development of Agni and Prithvi missiles, His 5 ground breaking scientific achievements include India’ s first satellite launch vehicle SLV, Ballistic missiles project, Nuclear tests at Pokhran, 1992-99, universal health care plan and Kalam – Raju Tablet.
He was excelled as an author, inspirational speaker, scientist, researcher, and mich more. The government honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 1981, Padma Vibhushan in 1990 for his works with ISRO and DRDO. Dr. Kalam received India’ s highest civiloan honour, the Bharat Ratna in 1997 for the ontributions to the scientific research and modernisation of defence technology in India. In 2013, he was the recipient of the Von Braun Award from the National Space Society to recognize excellence in management and leadership of a space related project. In 2012, Kalam was ranked number 2 in outlook India’ s poll of the Greatest Indian. His autobiography is ‘Wings of Fire.’ In May 2012, Kalam launched a programme for the youth of India, called the ‘What Can I Give Movement ‘ with a central theme of defeating corruption.
After his demise, the government of India declared a seven day state mourning period as a mark of respect to the genious personality.His memorial was inaugurated by hon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July 2017. Acrylic paintings about his life also displayed along with hundreds of portraits depicting the life of the mass leader. There is a statue of Kalam in the entrance showing him playing the Veena. There are other two smaller statues of the leader in sitting and standing postures.
Kalam was noted for his integrity and his simple lifestyle. He never owned a Television, and was in the habit of rising at 6.30 or 7 am. and sleeping by 2 am. His few personal possessions included his books, veena, some articled of clothing, cd player and a laptop. At his death, these went to his eldest brother, who survived him. He was a proud and practising Muslim, daily namaz and fasting during Ramadan were integral to his life, In addition to his faith in Holy Quran and Islamic practice, Kalam was well versed in Hindu traditions, he learnt Sanskrit, read the Bhagavad Gita, and was a vegetarian. Kalam also enjoyed writing Tamil poetry, playing veena and listening to Carnatic devotional music. His famous books include, ‘India 2020’, ‘Transcendence : My spiritual experience with pramugh swamiji’. He received 7 honorary doctorates from 40 universities.
I am now finishing this writeup with the inspiring quotes of the Missile Man of India:-
“Don’ t take rest after your first victory because if you fall in second, more lips are waiting to say that your first victory was just luck.”
“All of us donot have equal talents, but all of us have an equal oppertunity to develop our talents “
“You have to dream before your dream can come true “
“The best brains of the nations may be found in the last benches of class rooms”
“You cannot change your future, but you can change your habits, and surely your habits will change your future.”
Definitely the words and encouraging performances of Kalam will give light and energy to our nation and it’s people. We never forgot the most valuble contributions of this legend. This is the day to remember his great achievements and we hopeful that will surely give awesome victory to our nation in all fields.
PRANAMAM.
Ref:-APJ Abdul Kalam -Wikipedia.
Sajeev Manakkattupuzha,
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Pathanamthitta.
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NHRF NEWS Chief Editor, Shafeeq Shahul Hameed
