a p j abdul kalam biography wikipedia

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was an Indian scientist and politician who served his country as president from 2002 to 2007.

(1931–2015)

Quick Facts

Early years, rise to the presidency, death and legacy, who was a.p.j. abdul kalam.

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was an aerospace scientist who joined India's defense department after graduating from the Madras Institute of Technology. He was a central figure in the development of the country's nuclear capabilities and was hailed as a national hero after a series of successful tests in 1998. Kalam served as India's president for one term from 2002 to 2007, and died of a heart attack on July 27, 2015.

FULL NAME: A.P.J. Abdul Kalam BORN: October 15, 1931 DIED: July 27, 2015 BIRTHPLACE: Dhanushkodi, Rameswaram, India SCHOOLS: Madras Institute of Technology, St. Joseph's College ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Leo

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was born into a Muslim family on October 15, 1931, on the island of Dhanushkodi off the southeastern coast of India. He developed an early fascination with flight by watching birds, which developed into an interest in aeronautics after he saw a newspaper article about a British fighter plane.

Despite his modest beginnings – his dad built and rented boats – Kalam was a bright student who showed promise in science and mathematics. He attended St. Joseph's College and went on to earn a degree in aeronautical engineering from the Madras Institute of Technology.

His hopes of becoming a fighter pilot were dashed when he narrowly missed out on a spot with the Indian Air Force. Kalam instead joined the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) as a senior scientific assistant in 1958. After moving to the newly formed Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in 1969, he was named project director of the SLV-III, the first satellite launch vehicle designed and produced on Indian soil.

Returning to the DRDO as director in 1982, Kalam implemented the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program. He then became the senior scientific adviser to India's defense minister in 1992, a position he used to campaign for the development of nuclear tests.

Kalam was a key figure in the May 1998 Pokhran-II tests, in which five nuclear devices were detonated in the Rajasthan Desert. Although the tests resulted in condemnation and economic sanctions from other world powers, Kalam was hailed as a national hero for his staunch defense of the country’s security.

In 2002, India's ruling National Democratic Alliance helped Kalam win an election against Lakshmi Sahgal and become India's 11th president, a largely ceremonial post. Known as the People's President, Kalam set a goal of conducting 500,000 one-on-one meetings with young people over the course of his five-year term. His immense popularity led to him being nominated by MTV for a Youth Icon of the Year award in 2003 and 2006.

After leaving office in 2007, Kalam became a visiting professor at several universities. He formed the "What Can I Give Movement" in 2011 with the goal of creating a compassionate society, and in 2012, his efforts to improve healthcare led to the release of a tablet for medical personnel to use in remote areas.

On July 27, 2015, Kalam suffered a massive heart attack while lecturing at the Indian Institute of Management and subsequently died at the age of 83.

Kalam was laid to rest on July 30 with full state honors in his native Tamil Nadu. In honor of the scientist and former president, the southeast Indian state government of Tamil Nadu created a "Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award," which recognizes exceptional individuals who promote the sciences, students and humanities. The government has also established Kalam's birthday (October 15) as "Youth Renaissance Day." Discussion about building a large-scale memorial at his burial site is underway.

Among his many accolades, including honorary doctorates from 40 universities, he was granted the Padma Bhushan (1981), the Padma Vibhushan (1990) and the Bharat Ratna (1997) — India's highest civilian awards — for his contributions in modernizing government defense technology. He also wrote several books, including the autobiography Wings of Fire in 1999.

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A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Biography

Birthday: October 15 , 1931 ( Libra )

Born In: Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, India

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was a prominent Indian scientist who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. Renowned for his pivotal role in the nation’s civilian space programme and military missile development, he was known as 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. An alumnus of the prestigious Madras Institute of Technology, Kalam began his career as a scientist at the Aeronautical Development Establishment of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). 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.

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Also Known As: Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam

Died At Age: 83

father: Jainulabudeen

mother: Ashiamma

Born Country: India

Presidents Scientists

Height: 5'6" (168 cm ), 5'6" Males

Died on: July 27 , 2015

place of death: Shillong, Meghalaya, India

Notable Alumni: St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli, Madras Institute Of Technology, Anna University

Cause of Death: Cardiac Arrest

education: Madras Institute Of Technology, Anna University, St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli

awards: Bharat Ratna (1997) Padma Vibhushan (1990) Padma Bhushan (1981)

Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration (1997) Ramanujan Award (2000) King Charles II Medal (2007) Hoover Medal (2008) International von Kármán Wings Award

You wanted to know

What were a.p.j. abdul kalam's major contributions to the field of science and technology.

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam made significant contributions to missile technology and space research in India. He played a crucial role in the development of India's first indigenous satellite launch vehicle (SLV-III) and the successful testing of nuclear weapons.

How did A.P.J. Abdul Kalam inspire the youth of India?

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was known for his motivational speeches and interactions with students. He encouraged the youth to dream big, work hard, and strive for excellence in their chosen fields. He often emphasized the importance of education, innovation, and perseverance.

What was A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's vision for India's future?

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam envisioned a developed India that excelled in science, technology, and innovation. He believed in harnessing the potential of young minds to drive the country towards progress and prosperity. He promoted the idea of sustainable development and inclusive growth for all citizens.

How did A.P.J. Abdul Kalam promote education among underprivileged children?

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was a strong advocate for education and believed that it was the key to unlocking a brighter future for individuals and the nation as a whole. He established various initiatives and scholarships to support underprivileged children in pursuing their education and realizing their potential.

What were A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's views on leadership and governance?

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam emphasized the importance of ethical leadership and good governance in shaping a better society. He believed that leaders should be role models who lead by example, uphold integrity, and work selflessly for the welfare of the people.

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Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Wiki, Age, Wife, Family, Death, Biography & More

Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam is the name of Knowledge, Decency, Statesmanship, Patriotism, Glory, and Inspiration. Even if, he is no longer among us, but, his name and his deeds are and always will be motivating millions of youngsters on the planet. He still lives in the hearts of the millions of Indians. His journey from selling the Newspapers to be a President of the Nation is truly more than a miracle. Being a perfect embodiment of Science, he truly deserves to be called the ‘ Missile Man of India .’ Life with simplicity and personality with high thinking were the two major weapons of Kalam to tackle the problems of life. His name will always be taken with pride in History.

Biography/Wiki

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was born on 15 October 1931 in a Muslim family  in Rameswaram, Madras Presidency, British India. Kalam was the youngest of his five siblings. His father, Jainulabdeen was the Imam of a mosque and owned a boat. His father took Hindu pilgrims from Dhanushkodi (Now, uninhabited) to Rameshwaram or vice-versa. His mother was a homemaker. His forefathers had a good business of trading grocery back and forth between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. Moreover, they used to ferry pilgrims between mainland Tamil Nadu and Pamban Island. Therefore, the family earned the title of “ Mara Kalam Iyakkivar ” (Wooden boat-steerers). When Pamban bridge was constructed and came into operation in 1914, his family business failed and property got lost over the time. When Kalam was a child, his family was poor and Kalam used to sell the newspapers in his hometown to support his family financially.

In his early school year, Kalam was an average student but was curious to learn. He evolved his interests in Mathematics and Physics. He completed his primary and secondary education in  Schwartz Higher Secondary School , Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu, India. For his further education, he moved to  St. Joseph’s College , Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu where he graduated in Physics in 1954. In 1955, he enrolled at  Madras Institute of Technology to study Aerospace engineering. In Madras Institute of Technology, while working on a project, Dean was very dissatisfied with the lack of the progress of the project and threatened Kalam to revoke his scholarship. He gave Kalam a deadline of three days. Within three days, Kalam completed the project and impressed the Dean who later praised him, “I was putting you under stress and asking you to meet a difficult deadline.” Kalam narrowly missed out on achieving a dream of becoming a fighter pilot as he was placed on the ninth spot but, only eight positions were taken in the Indian Air Force.

APJ Abdul Kalam during his study in Madras Institute of Technology

Kalam was born to Jainulabiddin Marakayar (Imam) and  Ashiamma Jainulabiddin (Housewife). He had three brothers: Kasim Mohammed , Mohammed Muthu Meera Lebbai Maraikayar , Mustafa Kamal and one sister who was eldest,  Asim Zohra .

Kalam as a child with his siblings and parents

Kalam with his brother and other family members

Throughout his life, he remained unmarried.

After receiving education in Madras Institute of Technology, Kalam joined the laboratory of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) , named  Aeronautical Development Establishment . Initially, he designed a small hovercraft. Kalam was also a part of  Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) committee under the renowned Indian Space Scientist,  Vikram Sarabhai .

APJ Abdul Kalam (Left) with Vikram Sarabhai (Right)

In 1963 and 1964, Kalam visited NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia; Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland; and Wallops Flight Facility. In 1969, he was transferred to the  Indian Space Research Organisation  (ISRO).  He was appointed the project director of the first satellite launch vehicle of India, SLV III, which successfully deployed Rohini  satellite in near-earth orbit in July 1980. From the 1970s to 1990s, Kalam strived hard to develop the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle  (PSLV) and SLV-III projects, both of which were successful. In 1974, during the first nuclear test of India, Kalam was invited  Raja Ramanna . During the 1970s, two projects;  Project Devil  and  Project Valiant were directed by Kalam to develop ballistic missiles through SLV programs. At that time, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi allotted secret fund to these programs.

APJ Abdul Kalam with Indira Gandhi

From July 1992 to December 1999, Kalam was the chief scientific adviser to the Prime Minister and the secretary of  DRDO. During the Pokhran II nuclear test in 1999, he served as the Chief Project Coordinator, along with Rajagopala Chidambaram.

During the 2002 Presidential Election, he was nominated as President of India by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and backed by Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). He received the majority of the votes bagging 89% of the votes overall defeating his rival,  Lakshmi Sahgal (A revolutionary during Indian Independence Movement and a former Army officer). On 25th July 2002, Kalam became the 11th President of India.

Abdul Kalam was sworn in as President by then CJI BN Kirpal

After leaving his President Office in 2007, Kalam became the visiting professor at the IIM, Shillong, IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Indore, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, etc.

Controversies

• During his presidential tenure, he was denounced for his inaction in deciding the fate of 20 out of the 21 mercy petitions submitted to him. During his 5 years tenure, he acted only on one mercy plea.
• In 2005, Kalam took a very controversial decision to impose president rule in Bihar.
• In 2011, he was criticised for his stand on  Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant as he supported the establishment of the nuclear plant. He was denounced for not speaking with people and even he did not assure people of their safety.

Awards/Honours/Achievements

In 1981, he was awarded,  Padma Bhushan  by the government of India. In 1990, he was bestowed upon Padma Vibhushan . He was honoured by the country’s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna in 1997.

Abdul Kalam getting awarded Bharat Ratna by then President K. R. Narayanan

In 1998, he was awarded Veer Savarkar Award by Government of India. Britain’s Royal Society also awarded him the King Charles II Medal in 2007.

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam receiving King Charles II Medal from Lord Martin Rees, then President of the Royal Society

In 2009, he was given Hoover Medal by ASME Foundation, USA. In 2013, National Space Society, USA bestowed him upon  Von Braun Award .

In his honour, the UP government changed Uttar Pradesh Technical University’s name to A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University . The name of Kerala Technological University was changed to  A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Technological University  after his death. In September 2015, the name of Wheeler Island, a national missile test site in Odisha was changed to Abdul Kalam Island in his honour. The name of a prominent road in New Delhi was changed from Aurangzeb Road to  Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Road .

His lifestyle was very simple. He did not own many things except some: 2,500 books, a wristwatch, a Veena, a CD Player, a laptop, 6 shirts, 3 suits, 4 trousers, and a pair of shoes, his ancestral house and a small site near the house in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu.

Death Cause

On 27 July 2015, Kalam was flying to Shillong to deliver a lecture in Indian Institute of Management in Shillong. While climbing stairs of the flight, he felt unease but got well soon after taking some hour’s rest in aeroplane. When he was delivering a lecture in the class, at 6:35 pm, he collapsed. He was rushed to a nearby Bethany Hospital. He was placed in ICU. But, at 7:45 pm, he took his last breath and died of Cardiac Arrest .

His last words to his aide, Srijan Pal Singh were: “ Funny guy! Are you doing well ?.”

APJ Abdul Kalam with Srijan Pal Singh

On 30 July 2015, with full state honours, he was laid to rest at Rameswaram’s Pei Karumbu Ground . More than 3.5 lakh people attended the last rites including Narendra Modi (Incumbent Prime Minister of India).

Religious and Spiritual Views

He was a practicing Muslim. He used to offer Namaz daily and had fast during the month of Ramadan. However, he used to read Bhagavad Gita , a Hindu spiritual text also. He had respect for other faiths too. He often said, “For great men, religion is a way of making friends; small people make religion a fighting tool.”

He was very impressed by  Pramukh Swami Ji . Kalam considered Pramukh Swami Ji as his spiritual Guru. When he met Pramukh Swami Ji for the first time on 30 June 2001, he said that he was drawn to Swami Ji’s simplicity.

Abdul Kalam receiving the blessing from Pramukh Swami

Kalam described one incident of his meeting with Swami Ji. That incident took place just after the day of the terrorist attack on BAPS’ Akshardham, Gandhinagar complex in September 2002; he said that Swami Ji prayed for the deceased as well as terrorists and sprinkled the holy water upon the site. Kalam was inspired by Swami Ji’s calmness and compassion. Having been inspired by this incident, Kalam authored ‘ Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji. ‘

Kalam wrote Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji

Famous Books 

His bibliography includes India 2020  (1998),  Wings Of Fire (1999),  Ignited Minds  (2002), Indomitable Spirit  (2006),  Turning Points (2012), etc.

Abdul Kalam wrote India 2020

Interesting Facts

Abdul Kalam, a Book borrower

• When Kalam was only 9 or 10 years old, the Second World War started. In an interview, he revealed that he had felt the travesty of the war as it had almost reached the doors of Rameswaram.

Kalam playing Veena

• When he was in DRDO, he was the chief of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program and developed 5 missiles: Nag, Akash, Trishul, Agni, Prithvi. During this period, Pokhran-II Nuclear Tests were conducted under his guidance in which Kalam played a crucial political and technological role along with the then Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee .

Kalam was vegetarian

• During his tenure as President of India, he used to donate his all savings to an Organisation, PURA  (Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas).
• During his Presidential tenure from 2002 to 2007, he installed a Manipuri style hut at the Rashtrapati Bhavan referring it as a ‘thinking hut .’ He used to sit in this hut in morning and evening. The hut was demolished when his tenure ended.
• Media affectionately called him the “ People’s President ” when he was the President of India.
• Once he refused to sit on a special chair. According to him, he didn’t want to make himself superior to others.
• In November 2011, the United States apologised to Kalam for not following the appropriate procedures for expedited screening of dignitaries. When Kalam was on board to the USA in September 2011, he was frisked at the JFK airport.
• He was very positive in nature, in 2001, he boarded a helicopter from Ranchi to Bokaro district, Jharkhand. he was informed about some issues with the helicopter’s rotor, although, it was a death alarm for the crew of cockpit, he created a signature smile on everyone’s face and advised the pilot not to be petrified.
• Just after a day of his death, the government of Tamil Nadu announced that his birthday ’15 October’ would be celebrated as “ Youth Renaissance Day ” and state government further instituted “ Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award .”
• Throughout his life, he remained unmarried, so, he is the only bachelor president of India so far.
• In 2011, in a film titled ‘ I Am Kalam ,’  he was portrayed by a poor Rajasthani boy, Chhotu who renamed himself ‘Kalam’ in the honour of his Idol.

Narendra Modi inaugurating APJ Abdul Kalam Memorial in 2017

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Dr. A.P.J. ABDUL KALAM

15 October, 1931 – 27 July, 2015

Born on 15 th October 1931 at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, DR AVUL PAKIR JAINULABDEEN ABDUL KALAM, specialized in Aeronautical Engineering from M adras Institute of Technology(MIT) . DR ABDUL KALAM made significant contribution as project director to develop India’s first indigenous satellite launch vehicle {SLV-3} which successfully injected the Rohini satellite in the near earth orbit in july 1980 and made India an exclusive member of space club. He was responsible for the evolution of ISRO’S launch vehicle programme, particularly the PSLV configuration. After working for two decades in ISRO and mastering launch vehicle technologies,  DR. KALAM took up the responsibility of developing indigenous guided missiles at D efense Re search and De velopment O rganization (DRDO) as the Chief Executive of integrated guided missile development programme. He was responsible for the development and operationalisation of AGNI and PRITHVI missiles and for building indigenous capability in critical technologies through networking of multiple institutions . He was the scientific advisor to defense minister and secretary , department of defense research and development from July 1992 to December 1999. During this period, he led to the weaponisation of strategic missile systems and the pokharan-2 nuclear tests in collaboration with the department of atomic energy, which made India a nuclear weapon state. He also gave thrust to self reliance in defense systems by programming multiple development tasks and mission projects such as Light Combat Aircraft. As chairman of Technology Information Forecasting and Aassessments council and as an eminent scientist, he led the country with the help of 500 experts to arrive at technology vision 2020 giving a road map for transforming India from the present developing status to a developed nation. DR ABDUL KALAM has served as the principal scientific advisor to the GOVERNMENT OF INDIA in the rank of cabinet minister, from November 1999-2001 and was responsible for evolving policies, strategies and missions for many development applications. DR KALAM was also the chairman, EX-officer of the scientific advisory committee to the cabinet { SAC-C} and piloted India Millennium Mission 2020.

DR ABDUL KALAM took up academic pursuit as professor, technology and societal transformation at ANNA UNIVERSITY, Chennai from November 2001 and was involved in teaching and research tasks. Above all he took up a mission to ignite the young minds for national development by meeting high school students across the country.  In his literary pursuit his books like “ W ings of F ire” “India 2020- a vision for new millennium”  “my journey” and “ignited minds- unleashing the power within India “ have become household names in India and among the Indian nationals abroad. These books have been translated in many Indian languages. In 2015 he was particularly working for SPACE SOLAR POWER at global level along with WORLD KNLOWLEDGE PLATFORM.

DR ABDUL KALAM is one of the most distinguished scientists of India with the unique honour of receiving honorary doctorates from 48 universities all over the world. He has been awarded the coveted civilian awards- Padma Bhusan {1981} and Padma Vibhusan {1990} and the highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna  {1997}. He has also received the King Charles-2 medal {2007}, the Woodrow Wilson award {2008}, the Hoover award {2008} and the International Von Karman Wings Award  Widespread {2009} among other international accolades.  Recognition  coupled with his extensive national service, made DR ABDUL KALAM a popular choice for high office, and he became the 11 th president of India in 2002. His popularity has endured and he is still  affectionately called the People’s President for bridging the gap between high office and common people.  His focus and the greatest ambition remains finding ways to transform India into a developed nation.  

As an elder statesman, he was in the Public eye for his role in offering counsel, reaching out to people and building bridges across religious and social divides. DR ABDUL KALAM’S focus was ever on transforming  India into a developed nation by 2020 and to this end he continued to travel across the country for his teaching assignments at IITs and IIMs, to address conferences and to meet students and people from all walks of life.

He passed away at one such lecture he had gone to deliver of Shillong on 27 July 2015. His message and influence continue to resonate with people across the country, and in all walks of life.

Books by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam

1. India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium Publishing year: 1998

2. Wings of Fire: An Autobiography Publishing year: 1999

3. Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power within India Publishing year: 2002

4. The Luminous Sparks: A Biography in Verse and Colours Publishing year: 2004

5. Guiding Souls: Dialogues on the Purpose of Life Publishing year: 2005 Co-author: Arun Tiwari

6. Mission of India: A Vision of Indian Youth Publishing year: 2005

7. Inspiring Thoughts: Quotation Series Publishing year: 2007

8. You Are Born to Blossom: Take My Journey Beyond Publishing year: 2011 Co-author: Arun Tiwari

9. The Scientific India: A Twenty First Century Guide to the World around Us Publishing year: 2011 Co-author: Y. S. Rajan

10. Failure to Success: Legendry Lives Publishing year: 2011

11. Target 3 Billion Publishing year: 2011 Co-author: ‎Srijan Pal Singh

12. You are Unique: Scale New Heights by Thoughts and Actions Publishing year: 2012 Co-author: S. Poonam Kohli

13. Turning Points: A Journey through Challenges Publishing year: 2012

14. Indomitable Spirit Publishing year: 2013

15. Spirit of India Publishing year: 2013

16. Thoughts for Change: We Can Do It Publishing year: 2013 Co-author: A. Sivathanu Pillai

17. My Journey: Transforming Dreams into Actions Publishing year: 2013

18. Governance for Growth in India Publishing year: 2014

19. Manifesto for Change Publishing year: 2014 Co-author: V. Ponraj

20. Forge Your Future: Candid, Forthright, Inspiring Publishing year: 2014

21. Beyond 2020: A Vision for Tomorrow’s India Publishing year: 2014

22. The Guiding Light: A Selection of Quotations from My Favourite Books Publishing year: 2015

23. Reignited: Scientific Pathways to a Brighter Future Publishing year: 2015 Co-author: ‎Srijan Pal Singh

24. The Family and the Nation Publishing year: 2015 Co-author: Acharya Mahapragya

25. Transcendence My Spiritual Experiences Publishing year: 2015 Co-author: Arun Tiwari

wikiscientists.com

A. p. j. abdul kalam wiki, age, death, wife, family, biography & more.

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, famously known as Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (1931-2015) was a pre-eminent Indian aerospace scientist and the 11th President of India who took the course of Indian technological advancement to unprecedented heights. Born and brought up in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, Dr. Kalam worked closely at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the two most prestigious space research centres in India. His contribution to nation-building through his unique technological envision made him earn the title ‘The Missile Man of India’. As a Statesman, he was popular as ‘The People’s President’ for his humble and easily reachable attitude toward the common people. Recipient of all the three highest civilian honours of India, Kalam, in his later years, worked as a teacher and took his last breath on 27 July 2015, while delivering a lecture at IIM (Indian Institute of Management) in Shillong, Meghalaya. He died of cardiac arrest.

Table of Contents

Wiki/Biography

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was born on Thursday, 15 October 1931 ( age 83 years; at the time of death ) in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu (then in the Madras Presidency of British India). His zodiac sign is Libra. He grew up in a poverty-stricken Tamil Muslim family in Rameswaram, even though his ancestors were wealthy traders who were in ferry business before the construction of the Pamban bridge in 1914 which was responsible for the failure of the fortune of Kalam’s family business.

Abdul Kalam’s ancestral house in Rameswaram

After completing his secondary education at Schwartz Higher Secondary School Rameswaram, he pursued a B.Sc Physics degree at St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli, and graduated in 1954. Later, he moved to Madras in 1955 and proceeded to an Aerospace Engineering degree at Madras Institute of Technology (MIT), which he completed in 1960. Meanwhile, he prepared for the Indian Air Force (IAF) for the position of fighter pilot, his childhood dream that was lost by a narrow margin of one rank. With the attitude of turning this disappointment into glory, he decided to make planes if not fly them, and became a member of DRDS (Defence Research & Development Service), finally launching his career as a rocket engineer.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 4″

Hair Colour:  Grey

Eye Colour:  Black

Dr. Kalam belonged to a Tamil Muslim family with his ancestors being Marakayar traders, having descended from the Arab traders and inhabiting the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.

Parents & Siblings

Kalam’s mother, Ashiamma was a homemaker, and his father, Jainulabdeen Marakayar, was an imam (an Islamic leadership position) at a local mosque and a boat owner which he used as a ferry business, taking up the Hindu pilgrims who visited Rameshwaram to the famous uninhabited Dhanushkodi, a spot mentioned in the Hindu epic Ramayana. He had four siblings, three brothers and one sister. He was the youngest of all. Sister Asim Zohra (d.1997) was the eldest, followed by Mohammed Muthu Meera Lebbai Maraikayar (5 November 1916- 7 March 2021), Mustafa Kalam (d.1999), and Kasim Mohammed (d.1995).

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam’s elder brother Mohammed Muthu Meera

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam talking to his elder brother Mohammed Muthu Meera

Wife & Children

Kalam was never married and had no children.

Religion/Religious Views

Kalam was very deeply connected to spirituality, and his concept of God was deprived of religious biases. Despite being born into a Muslim family and offering daily namaz (prayers performed by Muslims), Kalam used to visit the holy Ramanathaswamy temple. (( TOI )) He had read the holy books of many religions to conclude that every religion’s ultimate essence is faith in the divine power that resides in freedom and compassion towards all. In his autobiographical book ‘Wings of Fire’, he talked about his views on religion and said,

I have always been a religious person in the sense that I maintain a working partnership with God. I was aware that the best work required more ability than I possessed and therefore I needed help that only God could give me. I made a true estimate of my ability, then raised it by 50 percent and put myself in God’s hands. In this partnership, I have always received all the power I needed, and have felt it flowing through me. Today, I can affirm that the kingdom of God is within you in the form of this power, to achieve your goals and realize your dreams.”

Some sources claim that Kalam belonged to the Maracair caste, the fishermen caste in the Muslim community. (( The Wire ))

Kalam’s House

12/7 Mosque Street,  Rameswaram , Tamil Nadu 623526

House of Kalam in Rameswaram

Abdul Kalam’s ancestral house is now turned into a Museum where his books, souvenirs, medals, and pictures of his journey are displayed. There is also a shop on the second floor for visitors to buy books, keyrings, etcetera, as souvenirs. Rs. 5 is charged to access the House of Kalam. His last residing residence was in Delhi at 10 Rajaji Marg.

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam’s residence at 10 Rajaji, Marg, New Delhi

Signature/Autograph

Signature of Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

After completing his Aerospace Engineering degree at MIT, Dr. Kalam became a member of DRDS in 1960, right after which he joined as a scientist in DRDO’s (Defence Research & Development Organisation) Aeronautical Development Establishment, where he designed a hovercraft. Since he wasn’t satisfied with his work at DRDS, he joined INCOSPAR (Indian National Committee for Space Research) as a rocket engineer and also worked setting up a rocket launching station at Thumba (now TERLS). In 1969, he was recruited to ISRO after being interviewed by the first director, H. G. S. Murthy, of Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS), the Indian spaceport operated by ISRO. He was one of the members of the team led by Vikram Sarabhai whose vision was to build indigenous rockets and launch vehicles.

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam holding a satellite model

Contribution to the Development of Satellite Launch Vehicles

Doctor Kalam gave India its first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV). In the very first year of ISRO’s establishment, Kalam was selected as the project director to develop indigenous rockets and Satellite Launch Vehicles, and after putting in hard work for more than 10 years, he met with success on 18 July 1980 when SLV-III was successfully launched from Sriharikota range, placing Rohini satellite into the low earth orbit. (( ISRO )). Until the late 1990s, he actively participated in making the SLVs better and successfully developed PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) and SLV-III projects. In an interview with The New York Times, he mentioned,

I am completely indigenous!” (( The New York Times ))

Contribution to the Development of Ballistic Missiles

Doctor Kalam’s fame as the ‘Missile Man of India’ rests upon his dedicated efforts to build ballistic missiles. Initially, he directed Project Devil and Project Valiant in the 1970s. He led the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) mission in 1982-83 with the support of R. Venkataraman (then defence minister), which paved the way for a series of missiles beginning with Agni (Agni I, II, III) and Prithvi (Prithvi I, II, III). (( The Hindu )) He is also actively associated with the development of the Nag Missile, which started in 1988 and was successfully tested in 1997, 2000, and 2008. (( The Times Of India )) Akash, Trishul, and BrahMos added more fame to his name in his later years as a scientist. Trishul made its first successful flight in 1989. Akash was first tested in 1990 and is active today. BrahMos was first tested in 2001 and continues to empower the nation’s defence technology with enhanced testing even today. (( The Economic Times )). Later, he created a Research Centre Imarat in 1988, a DRDO lab researching and developing advanced technologies for guided weapons, missile systems, and avionics.

Contribution to Nuclear Development

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam had a vision of transforming India into a nuclear weapon state because he believed that ”strength respects strength” and strength and peace go together. Unless we are strong we cannot bring peace.”(( The Economic Times )). He wanted to make India a nuclear-powered nation so that it could defend itself from external threats. He did not intend to support destruction with its use by any means. This can be sensed in his famous speech” My Vision For India” in which he said,

In 3000 years of our history people from all over the world have come and invaded us, captured our lands, and conquered our minds. From Alexander onwards, the Greeks, the Turks, the Moguls, the Portuguese, the British, the French, the Dutch, all of them came and looted us, took over what was ours. Yet we have not done this to any other nation…We have not conquered anyone. We have not grabbed their land, their culture, and their history and tried to enforce our way of life on them. Why? Because we respect the freedom of others.” (( My Vision for India Speech ))”

Kalam’s desire to make India a full-fledged nuclear power bore fruits just after he was appointed as the Secretary of DRDO and the Chief Scientific Advisor to the Indian Prime Minister in July 1992. The nuclear testing of PokhranII between 1992 and 1999 made him a national hero. In 1998, the detonation of five nuclear devices in Pokhran’s northwestern desert made him an international celebrity. Many nations, especially the superpowers, condemned this secret nuclear testing by India, making it an issue of international concern. The 2018 Indian movie Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran is based on this event.

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (2nd from right) as a Chief Scientific Advisor to the P.M., showing a victory sign along with the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Defence Minister George Fernandes, and head of the Department of Atomic Energy R. Chidambaram in 1998 in Shakti 1 test site of Pokhran

Contribution to Health Department

With the help of cardiologist Soma Raju, he made two remarkable contributions to the Indian health department. First, by making a coronary stent, known as the ‘Kalam-Raju stent,’ that came under a cost-effective price for patients. Second, by designing a rugged tablet (computers designed for rough use and have better performance) that administers health care much faster and better. This became famous as the ‘Kalam-Raju tablet.’

President of India

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was the first scientist-turned-President of India who took the Presidency on 25 July 2002 as the 11th President of India and held this position until the completion of the five-year tenure on 25 July 2007. Nominated by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on 10 June 2002, his aura was so powerful that he was fully supported by opposition parties like the Samajwadi Party and the Indian National Congress. His win was marked by a huge difference of 815,518 electoral votes from his competitor Lakshmi Sahgal. His electoral votes were 922,884, while Lakshmi’s was 107,366. He succeeded Kocheril Raman Narayanan and was preceded by Pratibha Patil, the first woman President of India.

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam was sworn in as the 11th President of India by the then Chief Justice of India B N Kirpal at the central hall of Parliament in New Delhi on 25 July 2002

He was a man of utmost modesty and compassion, which made him earn the popular nickname ‘The People’s President.’ It is believed that during his tenure, any common man could easily meet Kalam, and he would empathetically listen to solve the problems of the public to his utmost capacity with his vision to create a perfect country.

Contributions as President

• He promoted India’s technological advancement, and nuclear development program and launched programs to promote scientific research as the head of the state.

When the women are empowered, society with stability gets assured” (( Speech ))

• In 2006, he became the first President to use the power of Suspension Veto under Article 111, rejecting the ‘Office-of-Profit’ or (Prevention of Disqualification) Amendment Bill 2006. (( Business Standard )) However, he had to ultimately sign it when returned. He mentioned signing this Bill as one of his toughest decisions. The Bill exempted 56 posts from the list of offices of profit which led to disqualification of those who held these offices.
• He worked to diminish the rural-urban divide by starting PURA (Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas).

Post his presidential tenure, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam returned to civil life as a teacher. Continuing to ignite the flame of transforming India through science and technology, he interacted the most with the youth of the country in his later years. He once mentioned that if people remember him as a teacher, that would be the greatest honour for him. His interactions with the students at various schools and universities remain among the most-searched videos on YouTube for motivation. He was dearly called ‘Kalam Chacha’ by students, showing his close association with the hearts of the children of India. He died while delivering a lecture at IIM, Shillong. His famous call to the young ones in his poem ‘Song of Youth’ expresses his spirit as a teacher.

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam playing with children

Kalam was a huge fan of art and literature. He wrote many books and used to give 2 hours daily to writing his thoughts. During his tenure, he has authored various poems and books. His famous books are-

• Wings of Fire: An Autobiography
• India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium
• Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India
• The Luminous Sparks: A Biography in Verse and Colours
• Guiding Souls: Dialogues on the Purpose of Life
• Mission of India: A Vision of Indian Youth
• Inspiring Thoughts: Quotation Series
• You Are Born to Blossom: Take My Journey Beyond
• The Scientific India: A Twenty-First Century Guide to the World Around Us
• Failure to Success: Legendry Lives
• Target 3 Billion
• You are Unique: Scale New Heights by Thoughts and Actions
• Turning Points: A Journey Through Challenges
• Indomitable Spirit
• Spirit of India
• Thoughts for Change: We Can Do It
• My Journey: Transforming Dreams into Actions
• Governance for Growth in India
• Manifesto for Change
• Forge Your Future: Candid, Forthright, Inspiring
• Beyond 2020: A Vision for Tomorrow’s India
• The Guiding Light: A Selection of Quotations from My Favourite Books
• Reignited: Scientific Pathways to a Brighter Future
• The Family and the Nation
• Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji

Kalam’s Quotes

Some of his famous quotes are:

“Look at the sky. We are not alone. The whole universe is friendly to us and conspires only to give the best to those who dream and work.”

“If you salute your duty, you need not salute anybody. But if you pollute your duty, you have to salute everybody”

“Never stop fighting until you arrive at your destined place – the unique you. Have an aim in life, continuously acquire knowledge, work hard, and have perseverance to realise the great life.”

“Don’t take rest after your first victory because if you fail in the second, more lips are waiting to say that your first victory was just luck.”

Controversy

Criticism of pokhran ii.

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was criticised by K Santhanam, the site director of Pokaran II, for calling the tests a ‘failure’ because Kalam gave a false report of them. This was also backed by Homi Sethna, a former top atomic boss.

APJ Abdul Kalam was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1981 by the President of India

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, receiving Padma Vibhushan in 1990 by the President of India

Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam received the Bharat Ratna from the President of India in 1997

• Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration – 1997
• Veer Savarkar Award – 1998
• Von Braun Award by National Space Society – 2013

Dr. Kalam has been honoured by more than 30 universities. Some of the famous ones are-

• King Charles II Medal by Royal Society – 2007
• Hoover Medal by ASME Foundation, USA – 2009
• Doctor of Science by Edinburgh University (U.K.) – 2014

Assets & Properties

Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam died of cardiac arrest on 27th July 2015 in Shillong (Meghalaya), where at the Indian Institute of Management, he was scheduled to deliver a lecture on ‘Creating a Livable Planet Earth’. He felt a slight ache while climbing the stairs but overcame it and reached the auditorium. Five minutes after the beginning of the lecture at around 6:35 p.m., he fainted and was declared dead at the nearby Bethany hospital at around 7:45 p.m. His last words were “Funny guy!! Are you doing well?,” which he uttered to Srijan Pal Singh, his Officer-on-Special-Duty and a leading youth activist in India.

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam with Srijan Pal Singh to whom he uttered his last words

His body was carried by an IAF helicopter on 28 July to Delhi’s Palam Air Base, where wreaths were laid on his body by the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, and Chief Minister of Delhi and the three chiefs of the Indian Armed Forces. His body was then carried to his then-Delhi residence at 10 Rajaji Marg, where many dignitaries offered him homage. His body, wrapped in the Indian National Flag was taken to Mandapam from Palam Air Base on 29th July 2015 in a C-130J aircraft and was then shifted in an army vehicle to Rameswaram, where his body was displayed opposite the local bus stand of Rameswaram for the public to pay their last respect till 8 p.m. It was then handed over to his family members to conduct some ceremonies at his ancestral house in Pallivasal Street, and a few in the local mosque. His funeral ceremony was held on 30 July 2015 at Pei Karumbu which is 1 km away from his hometown Rameshwaram. A memorial has been built at this burial site.

President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam’s elder brother Mohammed Muthu Meera Lebbai Maraikayar along with other family members paid last respects to him in Rameswaram

• Food:  Sambar Rice cooked by his mother along with coconut chutney
• Books: Light From Many Lamps edited by Lillian Eichler Watson, Thirukural written by Thiruvalluvar, Man the Unknown by Alexis Carrel
• Poets: T.S. Eliot, Lewis Carroll, William Butler Yeats
• Music: Indian classical music

Facts/Trivia

• A. P. J. Abdul Kalam’s birth anniversary, 15 October, is celebrated as the World Students’Day.
• Many prestigious awards and institutions are named after him to promote research and technology in India.
• As a young 10-year-old boy, Kalam worked as a newspaper vendor in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, to financially support his family. He used to do this before his school hours. (( PIB ))
• His love for literature and mathematics was right from his childhood when he would borrow books from his brother’s friends. His main possessions also included books.
• As a schoolboy, he was once asked to sit at the backbench by his teacher who held hatred for the Muslim community. Abdul, who used to wear ‘Taqiyah,’ and his Hindu friend, Ramanadha, who used to wear the sacred Hindu thread, used to sit together. A teacher once asked Abdul to sit on the last bench. This teacher was later condemned by Ramanadha’s father who was the highest priest of Rameswaram temple and Abdul’s father’s best friend. (( The Times Of India ))
• In 1958, when he failed to qualify for the interview for IAF in Dehradun, shattered Kalam took a bus to Rishikesh, where he met a Sadhu who told him that he was predestined for something bigger than this. Kalam later referred to the Sadhu as his ‘Guru.’ (( The Times Of India ))

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam playing the Veena for relaxation in the Family Wing of Rashtrapati Bhavan

• He did not like India to be known as a developing nation.’

Whenever a complex national decision was to be made, these two huts were where I sat and thought. Of course, the inspiration for many poems also came while I was there,”

• As a representative of Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), Abdul Kalam was invited by Raja Ramanna to witness “Operation Smiling Buddha,” India’s first nuclear test in Pokhran in 1974.
• He played a pioneering role in developing fibreglass technology and was also closely associated with the functioning of the Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment(SASE).
• A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was one of the members of the first team of rocket engineers that formed INCOSPAR. He joined this after not being satisfied with his job at DRDO.
• To show his transparency in public life, he paid the bill of  Rs. 9.52 lakh for the 9-day stay of his 52 family members at Rashtrapati Bhawan who visited during his tenure.
• A huge controversy was spurred when a Bhagavad Gita’s copy was placed next to his statue at the Dr.  A. P. J. Abdul Kalam National Memorial in Rameswaram. Kalam’s relatives kept other holy books, the Koran and Bible next to the Hindu Gita arguing that Dr. Kalam had no biases for any religion. This enraged the Hindu Makka Katchi nationalist party.

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam undertaking a historic sortie in Su-30MKI on 9 June 2006

• Kalam believed that science education should be conducted in the mother tongue of the students. (( The Hindu )).

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The People's President: A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (1931-2015)

July 27, 2015 10:57 pm | Updated November 17, 2021 10:44 am IST

Ahmedabad : Gujarat : 27/07/2015. A file photo of at that time President of India Mr. APJ Abdul Kalam at MICA convocation in Ahmedabad.. Photo : Vijay Soneji. -

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the 11th President of India and a pioneer of the country's space and missile programmes, passed away on July 27, 2015.

He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1997, the Padma Vibhushan in 1990 and the Padma Bhushan in 1981.

Here's a detailed look at his achievements.

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (1931-2015)

• » 1931: Born Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam on October 15, in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu.
• » 1954: Graduates in Physics from Saint Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli, in 1954.
• » 1960: Gains degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Madras Institute of Technology.
• » 1969: Transferred to ISRO from the DRDO.
• » 1980: India enters the space club by putting the Rohini satellite in the near earth orbit with the first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III), developed under the stewardship of Dr. Kalam.
• » 1980s-1990s: As the chief of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, he was responsible for the development and operationalisation of AGNI and PRITHVI Missiles.
• » 1992-1999: works as Chief Scientific Advisor to the PM and Secretary of the DRDO.
• » 1998: India conducts the Pokhran II nuclear tests in May with Dr. Kalam as the chief project coordinator.
• » 1999-2001: Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India.
• » 2002-2007: President of India

>A.P.J. Abdul Kalam passes away

The 11th President of India, widely acclaimed as the "people's President", passed away on July 27, 2015 after collapsing during a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management in Shillong.

>Mr. Kalam through the years

A look at photos from the archives of The Hindu of the former president.

• Mr. Kalam's recent article in The Hindu talks about neutrino research. >Read here.
• Failed in my dream of becoming pilot: Mr. Kalam says in new book. >Read here.
• Memorabilia of former President at his Rameswaram house attract visitors. >Know more.
• Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam's vision for the nation. A message on Teacher's Day from the former President, >exclusively for The Hindu In School.

Tributes flow in

>a visionary and a dreamer.

Abdul Kalam was an institution- and team-builder who always wanted India to be strong and self-reliant.

>A teacher till the very end

If the people remember me as a good teacher, that will be the biggest honour for me, he used to say.

>Pall of gloom at House of Kalam

As the news spread, people made their way to visit the grief-stricken family.

>Kalam had special fondness for alma mater

He spent four years at the famous St.Joseph’s College from 1950 to complete his intermediate and graduation in Physics.

>Chandipur pays tribute to 'Missile Man'

Kalam was always accessible to everyone — from lowest contributing person to highest ranking scientist.

>Colleagues remember the Missile Man

N. Balakrishnan, Professor at the Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, recalls their association.

Related stories

• A.P.J. Abdul Kalam through the years
• Singapore PM Lee: Our thoughts with Kalam’s family

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A.P.J. Abdul Kalam | Biography, Childhood, Facts, & Death

Table of Content

• 1 Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam Summary
• 2 Facts about Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam
• 3.1 Abdul Kalam Childhood
• 4.1 Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam Secretary of the Defence Research
• 5 When did APJ Abdul Kalam’s Death
• 6 Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s Family
• 7.1 What was Abdul Kalam famous for?
• 7.2 Did Abdul Kalam have children?
• 7.3 At what age Abdul Kalam died?
• 7.4 What was the Name of Abdul Kalam Father?
• 7.5 Related

Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam Summary

Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam’s  full name was  Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam . Abdul Kalam was the eleventh and first non-political President of India , whom he received from an engineer and scientist because of his special contribution to the state of technology and shape. Did. Abdul Kalam was the President of India from 2002 to 2007 . He keeps looking very good in his eyes and is also called the man with zero. Worked as a scientist for decades and also created many organizations.

Facts about Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam

Who was Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam

Abdul Kalam Childhood

Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam  was born in  Punjab  in 1931 in  Dhanushkodi village ,  Rameswaram ,  Tamil Nadu  fishermen family. He is a Tamil Muslim. His father’s name was Jainulabdeen and his mother name was Ashiamma Jainulabiddin . Abdul Kalam’s father, who belonged to a middle-class family, used to run his house after watching his boat fishermen, and Abdul Kalam had to struggle a lot for his studies. He used to read newspapers from house to house and with that money.

Abdul Kalam used to study the fees of his school and asked his father to blend it with honesty and pride. He learned to live that his mother believed in God and took care of the household chores with three of Kalam Ji. Had an elder brother and an elder sister. Abdul Kalam’s study of typing In 1950, Kalam completed his B.Sc at Rameshwar Elementary School from St. Joseph’s College. Followed by Diploma in Aeronautical Engineering at Madras Institute of Technology in 1954-1957.

In his childhood, his dream was to become a fighter pilot, but with time, his dream changed in 1958. While working as a Technical Scientist in Kalonji Lee DAP, he developed prototypes and Led a team of a scientist for the craft at the very beginning of his career. Now Unnao district Indian He Designed a small helicopter for the army in 1962. He started working in the field in 1968. Between drowning, he worked on many posts in the field of space. And in 1962, Kalam Ji became the first such person in India in this row to head the project of Abdul Kalam. 

The 98th Roshni was successfully Installed for the earth under the leadership of this important contribution. He was also awarded Padma Bhushan, one of the national awards of India, by the Government of India in 1981. Awarded Abdul Kalam ji always credits his success to his mother. He says that His mother taught him to understand the good and the bad, and he says that the tendency towards studies.

Given this, my mother had 14 years of Devgiri for me so that I could fall till 11:00 at night. Yes, if I have not given you, I even got my bag in again. He became the director of difference, and An Integrated Guided Missile Development Program was launched to make Agni Prithvi and Akash Science Abdul Kalam play a very important role in 1998.

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Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam Secretary of the Defence Research

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam as Defense Minister . Became a consultant and worked in this post till 1999. He was included in the Top Scientists of the Government of India list. The name includes APJ Abdul Kalam for his contribution to the field of science and his fans in 1997. Bharat Ratna was given the biggest honor in 2002.

In 2002, Kalam ji was supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party . Made his candidate in the presidential election, which was supported by all. On 18 July 2002, APJ Abdul Kalam ji took oath for the post of President Kalam ji never joined politics, yet he, Despite the lack of amenities in his life, is sitting for the post of this President of India.

He was not a fan. Reaching the post of President is very inspiring for all of us today’s youngsters APJ Considers Abdul Kalam ji as his mentor. It is not easy to reach such a height by taking birth in a small village. It is not a matter of how. On the strength of his dedication and hard work, he kept moving forward while facing the affair and became a part of the youngsters. One must learn something from his life APJ Abdul Kalam loved children very much.

He always gave good lessons to the youth of his country. He says that the country can fill the whole country whenever he wants. All the people of India know him as Missile Man .

Kalam ji is the President of India who married Didn’t. He was made half the President on the day he came into politics APJ Abdul Kalam, by becoming the President, started a new era that Kalam ji after leaving the post of President of Indian Institute of AP Singh Degree College of Anna University will become the Chancellor of Science and Technology in Ferozepur In addition to becoming a professor, many colleges in the country were called as visiting professors. 

See also:- APJ Abdul kalam Facts

When did APJ Abdul Kalam’s Death

The Manifesto For Change Mission India Sparing Shot My Journey Dentist India You Want bloom We all must read it once. Only then will it know  APJ Abdul Kalam  is greater than we think. Apart from this, many universities moved to Shillong in 2015. Come Shillong Abdul Kalam ji’s health deteriorated during a function where he was lecturing to the college’s children.

Then suddenly, he fell, and after that, he was admitted to Shallow Hospital his condition Due to being fragile, he got his admission, took his last breath, and said goodbye to the world. After this sad news, the primary teacher of 7 days was announced at the age of eighty-four In. I had said goodbye to the world, after his death, on July 28, and he brought him from Guwahati to Delhi.

He was kept for darshan here in Gaya Delhi, where all the big leaders came and paid tribute. In 2015 he was taken to his village by a bus 3 narrated the last rites of Kalam ji in his village. With the passion and passion of Abdul Kalam, the Missile Man, the country got many missiles on its own and made them powerful. To make India clean, missiles like Prithvi and Agni gave the country. Abdullah wants to make the country powerful but self-reliant in technology and education.  

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s Family

People Also Ask?

What was abdul kalam famous for.

India knows Abdul Kalam as Missile Man. Abdul Kalam wants to make India no 1 in Technology.

Did Abdul Kalam have children?

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Memorial Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, India

At what age Abdul Kalam died?

Did not have children on his own

What was the Name of Abdul Kalam Father?

Abdul kalam’s Father name was Jainulabiddin Marakayar.

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A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

Kalam was elected as the 11th president of India in 2002 with the support of both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the then-opposition Indian National Congress . Widely referred to as the "People's President", [6] he returned to his civilian life of education, writing and public service after a single term. He was a recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Bharat Ratna , India's highest civilian honour.

While delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong , Kalam collapsed and died from an apparent cardiac arrest on 27 July 2015, aged 83. [7] Thousands, including national-level dignitaries, attended the funeral ceremony held in his hometown of Rameswaram , where he was buried with full state honours . [8]

• 1 Early life and education
• 2 Career as a scientist
• 3 Presidency
• 4 Post-presidency
• 5.1 Reactions
• 5.2 Memorial
• 6 Personal life
• 7.2 Syncretism
• 7.3 Pramukh Swami as Guru
• 9.3 Plant species
• 9.4 Other awards and honours
• 11 Books, documentaries and popular culture
• 12 See also
• 13 References
• 14 External links

Early life and education [ edit ]

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was born on 15 October 1931 to a Tamil Muslim family in the pilgrimage centre of Rameswaram on Pamban Island , then in the Madras Presidency and now in the State of Tamil Nadu . His father Jainulabdeen Marakayar was a boat owner and imam of a local mosque; [9] his mother Ashiamma was a housewife. [10] [11] [12] [13] His father owned a ferry that took Hindu pilgrims back and forth between Rameswaram and the now uninhabited Dhanushkodi . [14] [15] Kalam was the youngest of four brothers and one sister in his family. [16] [17] [18] His ancestors had been wealthy Marakayar traders and landowners, with numerous properties and large tracts of land. Even though his ancestors had been wealthy Marakayar traders, the family had lost most of its fortunes by the 1920s and was poverty-stricken by the time Kalam was born. Marakayar are a Muslim ethnic found in coastal Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka who claim descendance from Arab traders and local women. Their business had involved trading groceries between the mainland and the island and to and from Sri Lanka , as well as ferrying pilgrims between the mainland and Pamban. As a young boy he had to sell newspapers in order to add to the family's meager income. With the opening of the Pamban Bridge to the mainland in 1914, however, the businesses failed and the family fortune and properties were lost over time, apart from the ancestral home. [19] [20] [21]

In his school years, Kalam had average grades but was described as a bright and hardworking student who had a strong desire to learn. He spent hours on his studies, especially mathematics . [21] After completing his education at the Schwartz Higher Secondary School, Ramanathapuram, Kalam went on to attend Saint Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli , then affiliated with the University of Madras , from where he graduated in physics in 1954. [22] He moved to Madras in 1955 to study aerospace engineering in Madras Institute of Technology . [13] While Kalam was working on a senior class project, the Dean was dissatisfied with his lack of progress and threatened to revoke his scholarship unless the project was finished within the next three days. Kalam met the deadline, impressing the Dean, who later said to him, "I was putting you under stress and asking you to meet a difficult deadline". [23] He narrowly missed achieving his dream of becoming a fighter pilot, as he placed ninth in qualifiers, and only eight positions were available in the IAF . [24]

Career as a scientist [ edit ]

A P J Abdul Kalam [25]

After graduating from the Madras Institute of Technology in 1960, Kalam joined the Aeronautical Development Establishment of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (by Press Information Bureau, Government of India) as a scientist after becoming a member of the Defence Research & Development Service (DRDS). He started his career by designing a small hovercraft , but remained unconvinced by his choice of a job at DRDO. [26] Kalam was also part of the INCOSPAR committee working under Vikram Sarabhai , the renowned space scientist. [13] 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 near-earth orbit in July 1980; Kalam had first started work on an expandable rocket project independently at DRDO in 1965. [1] In 1969, Kalam received the government's approval and expanded the programme to include more engineers. [25]

In 1963 to 1964, he visited NASA 's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia ; Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland ; and Wallops Flight Facility . [11] [27] Between the 1970s and 1990s, Kalam made an effort to develop the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and SLV-III projects, both of which proved to be successful.

Kalam was invited by Raja Ramanna to witness the country's first nuclear test Smiling Buddha as the representative of TBRL , even though he had not participated in its development. In the 1970s, Kalam also directed two projects, Project Devil and Project Valiant , which sought to develop ballistic missiles from the technology of the successful SLV programme. [28] Despite the disapproval of the Union Cabinet , Prime Minister Indira Gandhi allotted secret funds for these aerospace projects through her discretionary powers under Kalam's directorship. [28] Kalam played an integral role convincing the Union Cabinet to conceal the true nature of these classified aerospace projects. [28] His research and educational leadership brought him great laurels and prestige in the 1980s, which prompted the government to initiate an advanced missile programme under his directorship. [28] Kalam and Dr V S Arunachalam , metallurgist and scientific adviser to the Defence Minister, worked on the suggestion by the then Defence Minister, R. Venkataraman on a proposal for simultaneous development of a quiver of missiles instead of taking planned missiles one after another. [29] R Venkatraman was instrumental in getting the cabinet approval for allocating ₹ 3.88 billion for the mission, named Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) and appointed Kalam as the chief executive. [29] Kalam played a major part in developing many missiles under the mission including Agni , an intermediate range ballistic missile and Prithvi , the tactical surface-to-surface missile, although the projects have been criticised for mismanagement and cost and time overruns. [29] [30]

Kalam served as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and Secretary of the Defence Research and Development Organisation from July 1992 to December 1999. The Pokhran-II nuclear tests were conducted during this period in which he played an intensive political and technological role. Kalam served as the Chief Project Coordinator, along with Rajagopala Chidambaram , during the testing phase. [11] [31] Media coverage of Kalam during this period made him the country's best known nuclear scientist. [32] However, the director of the site test, K Santhanam, said that the thermonuclear bomb had been a " fizzle " and criticised Kalam for issuing an incorrect report. [33] Both Kalam and Chidambaram dismissed the claims. [34]

In 1998, along with cardiologist Soma Raju , Kalam developed a low cost coronary stent , named the "Kalam-Raju Stent". [35] [36] In 2012, the duo designed a rugged tablet computer for health care in rural areas, which was named the "Kalam-Raju Tablet". [37]

Presidency [ edit ]

Kalam served as the 11th president of India, succeeding K. R. Narayanan . He won the 2002 presidential election with an electoral vote of 922,884, surpassing the 107,366 votes won by Lakshmi Sahgal . His term lasted from 25 July 2002 to 25 July 2007. [38]

On 10 June 2002, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) which was in power at the time, expressed that they would nominate Kalam for the post of President, [39] [40] and both the Samajwadi Party and the Nationalist Congress Party backed his candidacy. [41] [42] After the Samajwadi Party announced its support for Kalam, Narayanan chose not to seek a second term in office, leaving the field clear. [43] Kalam said of the announcement of his candidature:

I am really overwhelmed. Everywhere both in Internet and in other media, I have been asked for a message. I was thinking what message I can give to the people of the country at this juncture. [44]

On 18 June, Kalam filed his nomination papers in the Indian Parliament , accompanied by Vajpayee and his senior Cabinet colleagues. [45]

The polling for the presidential election began on 15 July 2002 in Parliament and the state assemblies, with the media claiming that the election was a one-sided affair and Kalam's victory was a foregone conclusion; the count was held on 18 July. [46] Kalam became the 11th president of the Republic of India in an easy victory, [47] and moved into the Rashtrapati Bhavan after he was sworn in on 25 July. [48] Kalam was the third President of India to have been honoured with a Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, before becoming the President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1954) and Zakir Hussain (1963) were the earlier recipients of Bharat Ratna who later became the President of India. [49] He was also the first scientist and the first bachelor to occupy Rashtrapati Bhawan . [50]

During his term as president, he was affectionately known as the People's President , [51] [52] [53] saying that signing the Office of Profit Bill was the toughest decision he had taken during his tenure. [54] [55] [56] Kalam was criticised for his inaction in deciding the fate of 20 out of the 21 mercy petitions submitted to him during his tenure. [57] Article 72 of the Constitution of India empowers the President of India to grant pardons, and suspend or commute the death sentence of convicts on death row. [57] [58] Kalam acted on only one mercy plea in his five-year tenure as president, rejecting the plea of rapist Dhananjoy Chatterjee , who was later hanged. [57] Perhaps the most notable plea was from Afzal Guru , a Kashmiri terrorist who was convicted of conspiracy in the December 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament and was sentenced to death by the Supreme Court of India in 2004. [58] While the sentence was scheduled to be carried out on 20 October 2006, the pending action on his mercy plea resulted in him remaining on death row. [58] He also took the controversial decision to impose President's Rule in Bihar in 2005. [59]

In September 2003, in an interactive session in PGI Chandigarh , Kalam supported the need of Uniform Civil Code in India, keeping in view the population of the country. [60] [61] [62] [63]

At the end of his term, on 20 June 2007, Kalam expressed his willingness to consider a second term in office provided there was certainty about his victory in the 2007 presidential election . [64] However, two days later, he decided not to contest the Presidential election again stating that he wanted to avoid involving Rashtrapati Bhavan from any political processes. [65] He did not have the support of the left parties, Shiv Sena and UPA constituents , to receive a renewed mandate. [66] [67]

Nearing the expiry of the term of the 12th President Pratibha Patil on 24 July 2012, media reports in April claimed that Kalam was likely to be nominated for his second term. [68] [69] [70] After the reports, social networking sites witnessed a number of people supporting his candidature. [71] [72] The BJP potentially backed his nomination, saying that the party would lend their support if the Trinamool Congress , Samajwadi Party and Indian National Congress proposed him for the 2012 presidential election . [73] [74] A month ahead of the election, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mamata Banerjee also expressed their support for Kalam. [75] Days afterwards, Mulayam Singh Yadav backed out, leaving Mamata Banerjee as the solitary supporter. [76] On 18 June 2012, Kalam declined to contest the 2012 presidential poll. He said of his decision not to do so:

Many, many citizens have also expressed the same wish. It only reflects their love and affection for me and the aspiration of the people. I am really overwhelmed by this support. This being their wish, I respect it. I want to thank them for the trust they have in me. [77]

Post-presidency [ edit ]

After leaving office, Kalam became a visiting professor at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong , the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad , and the Indian Institute of Management Indore ; an honorary fellow of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore ; [78] chancellor of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Thiruvananthapuram ; professor of Aerospace Engineering at Anna University ; and an adjunct at many other academic and research institutions across India. He taught information technology at the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad , and technology at Banaras Hindu University and Anna University. [79]

In 2011, Kalam was criticised by civil groups over his stand on the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant ; he supported the establishment of the nuclear power plant and was accused of not speaking with the local people. [80] The protesters were hostile to his visit as they saw him as a pro-nuclear scientist and were unimpressed by the assurances he provided regarding the safety features of the plant. [81]

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. [82] [83]

Death [ edit ]

On 27 July 2015, Kalam travelled to Shillong to deliver a lecture on "Creating a Livable Planet Earth" at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong . While climbing a flight of stairs, he experienced some discomfort, but was able to enter the auditorium after a brief rest. [84] At around 6:35 p.m. IST , only five minutes into his lecture, he collapsed. [85] [86] He was rushed to the nearby Bethany Hospital in a critical condition; upon arrival, he lacked a pulse or any other signs of life. [85] Despite being placed in the intensive care unit , Kalam was confirmed dead of a sudden cardiac arrest at 7:45   p.m. IST . [85] [87] [88] His last words, to his aide Srijan Pal Singh , were reportedly: "Funny guy! Are you doing well?" [89]

Following his death, Kalam's body was airlifted in an Indian Air Force helicopter from Shillong to Guwahati, from where it was flown to New Delhi on the morning of 28 July in an air force C-130J Hercules. The flight landed at Palam Air Base that afternoon and was received by the President, the vice-president, the Prime Minister, Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal , and the three service chiefs of the Indian Armed Forces , who laid wreaths on Kalam's body. [90] His body was then placed on a gun carriage draped with the Indian flag and taken to his Delhi residence at 10 Rajaji Marg; there, the public and numerous dignitaries paid homage, including former prime minister Manmohan Singh , Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice-president Rahul Gandhi , and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav . [91]

On the morning of 29 July, Kalam's body, wrapped in the Indian flag, was taken to Palam Air Base and flown to Madurai in an air force C-130J aircraft, arriving at Madurai Airport that afternoon. His body was received at the airport by the three service chiefs and national and state dignitaries, including cabinet ministers Manohar Parrikar , Venkaiah Naidu , Pon Radhakrishnan and the governors of Tamil Nadu and Meghalaya, K Rosaiah and V. Shanmuganathan . After a brief ceremony, Kalam's body was flown by air force helicopter to the town of Mandapam , from where it was taken in an army truck to his hometown of Rameswaram. Upon arriving at Rameswaram, his body was displayed in an open area in front of the local bus station to allow the public to pay their final respects until 8   p.m. that evening. [92] [93]

On 30 July 2015, the former president was laid to rest at Rameswaram 's Pei Karumbu Ground with full state honours. Over 350,000 people attended the last rites, including the Prime Minister, the governor of Tamil Nadu and the chief ministers of Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. [94] [95]

Reactions [ edit ]

India reacted to Kalam's death with an outpouring of grief; numerous tributes were paid to the former president across the nation and on social media. [96] The Government of India declared a seven-day state mourning period as a mark of respect. [97] President Pranab Mukherjee , Vice-president Hamid Ansari , Home Minister Rajnath Singh , and other leaders condoled the former President's demise. [87] Prime Minister Narendra Modi said "Kalam's death is a great loss to the scientific community. He took India to great heights. He showed the way." [98] Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who had served as prime minister under Kalam, said, "our country has lost a great human being who made phenomenal contributions to the promotion of self-reliance in defence technologies. I worked very closely with Dr. Kalam as prime minister and I greatly benefited from his advice as president of our country. His life and work will be remembered for generations to come." [99] ISRO chairman A. S. Kiran Kumar called his former colleague "a great personality and a gentleman", while former chairman G. Madhavan Nair described Kalam as "a global leader" for whom "the downtrodden and poor people were his priority. He always had a passion to convey what is in his mind to the young generation", adding that his death left a vacuum which none could fill. [100] [101]

South Asian leaders expressed condolences and lauded the late statesman. The Bhutanese government ordered the country's flags to fly at half-staff to mourn Kalam's death and lit 1000 butter lamps in homage. Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay expressed deep sadness, saying Kalam "was a leader greatly admired by all people, especially the youth of India who have referred to him as the people's President". [102] Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina described Kalam as "a rare combination of a great statesman, acclaimed scientist, and a source of inspiration to the young generation of South Asia" and termed his death an "irreparable loss to India and beyond". Bangladesh Nationalist Party chief Khaleda Zia said "as a nuclear scientist, he engaged himself in the welfare of the people". Ashraf Ghani , the President of Afghanistan , called Kalam "an inspirational figure to millions of people," noting that "we have a lot to learn from his life". Nepalese Prime Minister Sushil Koirala recalled Kalam's scientific contributions to India: "Nepal has lost a good friend and I have lost an honoured and ideal personality." The President of Pakistan , Mamnoon Hussain , and Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif also expressed their grief and condolences on his death. [103] [104] [105] The President of Sri Lanka , Maithripala Sirisena , also expressed his condolences. "Dr. Kalam was a man of firm conviction and indomitable spirit, and I saw him as an outstanding statesman of the world. His death is an irreparable loss not only to India but to the entire world." [106] Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen and Vice-president Ahmed Adeeb condoled Kalam's death, with Yameen naming him as a close friend of the Maldives who would continue to be an inspiration to Indians and generations of South Asians. Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom , who had made an official visit to India during Kalam's presidency, termed his demise as a great loss to all of humankind. [107] The Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces , Senior General Min Aung Hlaing , expressed condolences on behalf of the Myanmar government. [108] The Dalai Lama expressed his sadness and offered condolences and prayers, calling Kalam's death "an irreparable loss". [109]

Kathleen Wynne , the Premier of Ontario , which Kalam had visited on numerous occasions, expressed "deepest condolences ... as a respected scientist, he played a critical role in the development of the Indian space programme. As a committed educator, he inspired millions of young people to achieve their very best. And as a devoted leader, he gained support both at home and abroad, becoming known as 'the people's President'. I join our Indo–Canadian families, friends, and neighbours in mourning the passing of this respected leader." [110] United States President Barack Obama extended "deepest condolences to the people of India on the passing of former Indian President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam", and highlighted his achievements as a scientist and as a statesman, notably his role in strengthening US–India relations and increasing space co-operation between the two nations. "Suitably named 'the People's President', Dr. Kalam's humility and dedication to public service served as an inspiration to millions of Indians and admirers around the world." [111] Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed sincere condolences and conveyed his sympathy and support "to the near and dear ones of the deceased leader, to the government, and entire people of India". He remarked on Kalam's outstanding "personal contribution to the social, economic, scientific, and technical progress of India and in ensuring its national security," adding that Kalam would be remembered as a "consistent exponent of closer friendly relations between our nations, who has done a lot for cementing mutually beneficial Russian–Indian cooperation." [112] Other international leaders—including former Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono , Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak , Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong , President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan , and vice-president and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and emir of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum —also paid tribute to Kalam. [113] [114] In a special gesture, Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon visited the Permanent Mission of India to the UN and signed a condolence book. "The outpouring of grief around the world is a testament of the respect and inspiration he has garnered during and after his presidency. The UN joins the people of India in sending our deepest condolences for this great statesman. May he rest in peace and eternity", Ban wrote in his message. [115]

Memorial [ edit ]

The Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam National Memorial [116] was built in memory of Kalam by the DRDO in Pei Karumbu, in the island town of Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July 2017. [117] [118] On display are the replicas of rockets and missiles which Kalam had worked with. Acrylic paintings about his life are 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 two other smaller statues of the leader in sitting and standing posture. [119]

Personal life [ edit ]

Kalam was the youngest of five siblings, the eldest of whom was a sister, Asim Zohra (d. 1997), followed by three elder brothers: Mohammed Muthu Meera Lebbai Maraikayar (5 November 1916 – 7 March 2021), [120] [121] Mustafa Kalam (d. 1999) and Kasim Mohammed (d. 1995). [122] He was extremely close to his elder siblings and their extended families throughout his life, and would regularly send small sums of money to his older relations, himself remaining a lifelong bachelor. [122] [123]

Kalam was noted for his integrity and his simple lifestyle. [123] [124] He never owned a television, and was in the habit of rising at 6:30 or 7   a.m. and sleeping by 2   a.m. [125] His few personal possessions included his books, his veena , some articles of clothing, a CD player and a laptop; at his death, he left no will, and his possessions went to his eldest brother, who survived him. [126] [127]

Religious and spiritual views [ edit ]

Religion and spirituality were very important to Kalam throughout his life. [128] He made his own spiritual journey the subject of his final book, Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji . [129] [130]

Islam [ edit ]

A proud and practising Muslim , daily namaz and fasting during Ramadan were integral to Kalam's life. [9] [131] [132] His father, the imam of a mosque in his hometown of Rameswaram, had strictly instilled these Islamic customs in his children. [9] His father had also impressed upon the young Kalam the value of interfaith respect and dialogue. As Kalam recalled: "Every evening, my father A. P. Jainulabdeen, an imam, Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry, the head priest of the Ramanathaswamy Hindu temple, and a church priest used to sit with hot tea and discuss the issues concerning the island." [129] [133] Such early exposure convinced Kalam that the answers to India's multitudinous issues lay in "dialogue and cooperation" among the country's religious, social, and political leaders. [131] Moreover, since Kalam believed that "respect for other faiths" was one of the key cornerstones of Islam , he was fond of saying: "For great men, religion is a way of making friends; small people make religion a fighting tool." [134]

Syncretism [ edit ]

One component of Kalam's widespread popularity among diverse groups in India, and an enduring aspect of his legacy, is the syncretism he embodied in appreciating various elements of the many spiritual and cultural traditions of India. [131] [132] [135] [136] In addition to his faith in the Quran and Islamic practice, Kalam was well-versed in Hindu traditions; he learnt Sanskrit , [137] [138] read the Bhagavad Gita [139] [140] and he was a vegetarian. [141] Kalam also enjoyed writing Tamil poetry, playing the veena (an Indian string instrument), [142] and listening to Carnatic devotional music every day. [132] In 2002, in one of his early speeches to Parliament after becoming president, he reiterated his desire for a more united India, stating that "during the last one year I met a number of spiritual leaders of all religions ... and I would like to endeavour to work for bringing about unity of minds among the divergent traditions of our country". [135] Describing Kalam as a unifier of diverse traditions, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor stated, "Kalam was a complete Indian, an embodiment of the eclecticism of India's heritage of diversity". [132] BJP leader L. K. Advani concurred that Kalam was "the best exemplar of the Idea of India, one who embodied the best of all the cultural and spiritual traditions that signify India's unity in immense diversity. This was most strikingly evident in the second-to-last book he published, presciently titled Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swami ". [136]

Pramukh Swami as Guru [ edit ]

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A.P.J. Abdul Kalam summary

Learn about the life of a.p.j. abdul kalam, india’s first president.

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam , (born Oct. 15, 1931, Rameswaram, India—died July 27, 2015, Shillong), Indian president (2002–07). After graduating from the Madras Institute of Technology, Kalam played a leading role in the development of India’s missile and nuclear weapons programs. He planned a program that produced a number of successful missiles, helping earn him the nickname “Missile Man.” Beginning in the early 1990s, he also served as scientific adviser to the government, and his prominent role in India’s 1998 nuclear weapons tests established Kalam as a national hero. In 2002 the Hindu nationalist (Hindutva) National Democratic Alliance nominated Kalam, a Muslim, to succeed outgoing President K.R. Narayanan. Kalam easily won the elections in 2002, and in the largely ceremonial post he sought to use science and technology to transform India into a developed country. In 2007 he was succeeded by Pratibha Patil, the country’s first woman president.

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DR. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam FORMER PRESIDENT OF INDIA Term of Office: 25th July 2002 - 25th July 2007

Former President Of India

Dr. a.p.j. abdul kalam.

Born on 15th October 1931 at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, specialized in Aeronautical Engineering from Madras Institute of Technology. Dr. Kalam made significant contribution as Project Director to develop India's first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III) which successfully injected the Rohini satellite in the near earth orbit in July 1980 and made India an exclusive member of Space Club.

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• 24 Jul 07 Thanks Giving Address to the Nation
• 21 Jul 07 Address to the Rashtrapati Bhavan Community, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi
• 19 Jul 07 Address to the Members of India Islamic Cultural Centre, New Delhi
• 18 Jul 07 Address During the Presentation of the Air India National Rank and Bolt Awards for the Year 2006-07 to…

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