Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam or more popularly known as APJ Abdul Kalam is one of the most influential personalities of India. He was born on October 15, 1931 & died on July 27, 2015. He was elected as India’s 11th President in 2002. He is a lot more than just a political figure. He is a scientist, thinker and a youth icon. Undoubtedly he is in true sense “the missile man” of India. Though his life is an open book, there are few unknown facts about him which most of us don’t know.
- Mr. Kalam’s father Jainulabdeen, was not formally educated and was into the boat building business, he used to ferry people between Dhanuskodi and his hometown of, Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu.
- He used to deliver newspapers when he was eight years old, in order to earn some extra money for the family.
- At the time of admission into MIT (Madras Institute of Technology), he did not have the money to pay thousand rupees as fee, his father could not afford that amount of money. His sister mortgaged her gold bangles, to get the money for admission.
- In late 1960’s a small rocket took off from Thumba on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram, announcing the birth of the modern space age in India. This project was lead by Dr. A.P J. Abdul Kalam and his team. That was when the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) formally came into existence
- Kalam joined Aeronautical Development Establishment of Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) as a scientist. His first achievement in his career was designing a small helicopter for the Indian Army, though he remained unconvinced and dissatisfied with the choice of his job at DRDO.
- The Satellite Launch Vehicle or SLV (उपग्रह प्रक्षेपण यान) was a project started in the early 1970s by the Indian Space Research Organisation to develop the technology needed to launch satellites. The project was headed by APJ Abdul Kalam.
Explaining the SLV 3 results to Mrs.Indira Gandhi.
He has worked along with Mr.Vikram Sarabhai, a great visionary and the master planner behind India’s Missile Development program.
- Kalam without participating in its development, test site preparation and weapon designing was invited by Raja Ramanna to witness the country’s first nuclear test Smiling Buddha as the representative of TBRL.
- On Wednesday April 29, 2009, he became the first Asian to be bestowed the Hoover Medal, America’s top engineering prize, for his outstanding contribution to public service. He has also received honorary doctorates from more than 30 universities, including the Carnegie Mellon University of United States.
- The most insulting day for every Indians when former President APJ Abdul Kalam was twice subjected to harassment at New York’s JFK Airport by the US security officers. Dr Kalam was forced to take his jacket and shoes off for security checking for explosives. Then the 80-year-old Kalam was in the United States in September to attend a series of events and the incident took place on September 29 at the time of his returning home from New York. After taking his seat in the aircraft, officials of the JFK Airport came inside and asked to check the President once again. Air India authorities along with all the Indians strongly protested the heinous act.
- Most of us don’t know that Dr. Kalam is an incredible writer and has written many inspirational books. They are-Wings of fire [His autobiography], 2020- A Vision for the New Millennium, Envisioning an Empowered Nation, Ignited Minds, My Journey, Developments in Fluid Mechanics and Space Technology, The Luminous Sparks, The Life Tree, Mission India, Children Ask Kalam, Guiding Souls, Indomitable Spirit and Inspiring Thoughts. These books are treasure for every Indians.
- In 2003 and in 2006 he was nominated for the MTV Youth Icon of the Year award.
- The Government of India has honoured him with the Padma Bhushanin 1981 and thePadma Vibhushan in 1990 for his work with ISRO and DRDO and his role as a scientific advisor to the Government. Kalam is the third President of India to have been honoured with a Bharat Ratna before being elected to the chair of President. He is also the first scientist and first unmarried person to become the President of India.
