Dr A P J Abdul Kalam - An inspiration
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam who is popularly known as APJ Abdul Kalam is one of the most influential personalities of India a great scientist. This former president of India ie., 11th president of India is a lot more than just a political figure. He is a scientist, thinker, Inspiration 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. Let us have a look to them…
1. Missile Man of India
2. Distributed Newspaper After School Hours
3. Millions of Followers
4. Chief Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister and Secretary
5. Kalams Mentor
Dr. Vikram Sarabhai acted as the mentor and guide of Kalam. He gave Kalam valuable advice on how to always reach for the stars.
6. First Major Project SLV 3-Failed
When Dr Kalam’s first major project SLV 3-failed the first time he was almost shattered.
7. Kalam Was Criticized For Lackadaisical Approach
According to the Article 72, of the Constitution of India, the President of India has the power to grant pardon, suspend and remit death sentences and commute the death sentence of convicts on death row. But he didn’t apply those powers on the mercy petitions of the 20 convicts. Kalam was judged for inaction as a President in deciding the fate of 20 out of the 21 mercy petitions. So he was criticized for this issue.
8. Graduated from Madras Institute of Technology in Aeronautical Engineering
He graduated from Madras Institute of Technology in Aeronautical Engineering. He was Project Director at DRDO, where he played major role in the development of India’s first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III).
9. Inspirational Hindi film
I Am Kalam which was released in 2011 is an inspirational Hindi film. Here Kalam is portrayed as an extremely positive influence to a poor but bright Rajasthani boy Chhotu, who renames himself Kalam in honour of his idol.
10. Youth Icon Award
In 2003 and in 2006 he was nominated for the MTV Youth Icon of the Year award.
11. Kalam Was A Part Of Country’s First Nuclear Test
12. Harassment at New York Airport
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 which is very disgusting. Then the 80-year-old Kalam was in the US 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 act.
13 Scientific Advisor to the Government of India
The Government of India has honoured him with the nation’s highest civilian honours: the Padma Bhushan (1981), Padma Vibhushan (1990) and the Bharat Ratna (1997) for his contribution in ISRO and DRDO and his role as a scientific advisor to the Government of India.
14. His last Pic Before he passed away
Dr Abdul Kalam passed away at Bethany Hospital, Shillong, Meghalaya, due to heart failure after having collapsed during a lecture at Indian Institute of Management, Shillong.
15. Dr Kalam was awarded India’s highest civil honors and many other awards:
Padma Bhusham in 1981
Padma Vibhusham in 1990
Bharat Ratna in 1997
Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration in 1997
Veer Savarkar Award in 1998
Ramanujan Award in 2000
Honorary Doctorate of Science by University of Wolverhampton, UK in 2007
Dr. Abdul Kalam was also an incredible writer and his autobiography, "2020-A vision for the New Millennium" is a self explanary evidence of it.
A few more important writings of Dr Kalam are: 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 and Indomitable Spirit and Inspiring Thoughts.
16. He was also a recipient of honorary doctorates from 40 universities.
17. A prolific writer, Kalam has authored around 15 books on various subjects ranging from nuclear physics to spiritual experiences.
18. His autobiography Wings of Fire: An Autobiography, first published in English, has been translated into 13 languages including French and Chinese.
19. Also, there are six additional biographies on his life and works.
20. President Kalam has given up all his life savings and salaries to a trust he founded named PURA (Providing Urban Amenities to Rural Areas).
The government takes care of the President of India as well as of all the former presidents. Knowing this, Dr. Kalam during his tenure as President decided to give away all his wealth and life savings towards a fund that works towards providing urban amenities to rural population. Apparently, Dr. Kalam called up Dr. Verghese Kurien, the founder of Amul, and asked: “Now that I have become the President of India, the government is going to look after me till I am living; so what can I do with my savings and salary?”
21. President Kalam is known to write his own thank you cards.As humble and generous the man is, President Kalam is known to sign his own thank you cards. One instance is when Quora user Naman Narain drew a sketch of Dr. Kalam and sent it to the President. To his surprise, the President sent him a thank you card, with a short handwritten message and personalised with his signature.
22. When he was President, Dr. Kalam took to “Yahoo! Answers” and posted a question: “What should we do to free our planet from terrorism?”And when he did, people like Sri Sri Ravishankar, Kiran Bedi, Leander Paes and the who’s who of India and the world turned to Yahoo! to answer his question! Here’sthe link to that question page.
