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Abdul Kalam
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (Tamil: அவுல் பகிர் ஜைனுலாப்தீன் அப்துல் கலாம், Hindi: अवुल पिकर जैनुलअाबदीन अब्दुल कलाम; born October 15, 1931, Tamil Nadu, India, usually referred to as Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam ^) is the current President of India. A notable scientist and an engineer, he is often referred to as the Missile Man of India.

Dr. Abdul Kalam
11th President of India
Incumbent
Assumed office July 25, 2002
Vice President(s)
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat
Preceded by
K. R. Narayanan
Succeeded by
Incumbent
Born
October 15, 1931Dhanushkodi, in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, India
Political party
Not affliated to any political party
Spouse
Not Married
Religion
Islam

Career

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was born on 15 October 1931 at Rameswaram in Dhanushkodi, Tamil Nadu, to a working class Tamil Muslim family. He received his degree in aeronautical engineering from the Madras Institute of Technology in 1958. After graduation he joined India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to work on a hovercraft project. In 1962, Kalam moved to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), where his team successfully launched several satellites. He made a significant contribution as Project Director to develop India's first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III) which successfully placed the Rohini space satellite into near earth orbit in July 1980.
In 1982, Kalam returned to DRDO as Director, focusing on Indigenous guided missiles. He was responsible for the development and operationalisation of the AGNI and PRITHVI missiles. This earned him the sobriquet "India's missile-man". He also helped in the formulation of healthcare products using technology developed for missiles.[citation needed]
In July 1992, Kalam became a Scientific Advisor to India's Defence Minister. As the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Indian government, he held the rank of a Cabinet Minister. His work led to the successful Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998, which reiterated India's position as a nuclear weapon state. Kalam was also the Chairman, Ex-officio, of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet (SAC-C) and piloted the "India Millennium Mission 2020".
Kalam later took up academia as a Professor of Technology & 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 young school students across the country.
Kalam was elected the 11th President of India and took office on July 25, 2002.

Honours

Kalam has the unique distinction of having received honorary doctorates from at least thirty universities[citation needed], as also India's three highest civilian honours: the Padma Bhushan in 1981; the Padma Vibhushan in 1990; and the Bharat Ratna in 1997. He has recently refused an honorary doctorate from a University, stating he is satisfied with the ones he has earned with his hard work and determination.

Political views

Abdul Kalam with Iceland's first lady Dorrit Moussaieff in the National Gallery of Iceland

Something of Kalam's probable views on certain issues can be surmised from positions espoused by him in the past. His book "India 2020" strongly advocates an action plan to develop India into a knowledge superpower and into a developed nation by the year 2020. Kalam is credited with the view that India ought to take a more assertive stance in international relations; he regards his work on India's nuclear weapons program as a way to assert India's place as a future superpower.
Kalam continues to take an active interest in other developments in the field of science and technology as well. He has proposed a research programme for developing bio-implants. He is a supporter of Open source software over proprietary solutions and believes that the use of open source software on a large scale will bring more people the benefits of information technology.

Criticism

Kalam has been the subject of strong criticism from leftists in the Indian press, Praful Bidwai being among his staunchest critics [1]. Bidwai was later criticised for his unsubstantiated claims.
When his name was proposed for the Presidency, a sustained campaign was carried out alleging he was not a devout enough Muslim and portraying him as a hardline nationalist. With characteristic humility he ignored these criticisms to subsequently emerge as one of the most popular Presidents - one who, for many, has raised the prestige of the Presidency to new heights.

Identity

All the President's kin

Kalam comes from the Marakkar community from Southern India, a Tamil-speaking community.
Kalam's belief in the power of technology to resolve society's problems and his views of these problems as a result of inefficient distribution of resources is modernistic. He also sees science and technology as ideology-free areas and emphasizes the cultivation of scientific temper and entrepreneurial drive. In this, he finds a lot of support among India's new business leaders like the founders of Infosys and Wipro who began their careers as technology professionals much in the same way Kalam did.

Personal life

Kalam observes strict personal discipline, practicing vegetarianism, teetotalism and celibacy. Kalam is a scholar of Tirukkural; in most of his speeches, he quotes at least one kural. Kalam has written several inspirational books, most notably his autobiography Wings of Fire, aimed at motivating Indian youth. Another of his books, Guiding Souls: Dialogues on the Purpose of Life reveals his spiritual side. It has been reported that there is considerable demand in South Korea for translated versions of books authored by him [2].

Trivia

Abdul Kalam and Sujatha in College photo
He loves children, and encourages their audiences with him. [3]
On Tuesday, 19 February, 2006, he created history by becoming the country's first President to undertake an undersea journey. Abdul Kalam boarded the INS Sindhurakshak, a Russian-origin kilo class submarine, from the Visakhapatnam Naval dockyard. The duration of the journey was around three-and-half hours during which Kalam had lunch with the crewmembers.[4]
He did his college studies at the Madras Institute of Technology, where he used to head the vegetarian mess.
Initially he wanted to become a pilot, but was rejected and then opted for aeronautical engineering later.
On Thursday, 08 June, 2006, he created history by becoming the country's first president to undertake a sortie in an aircraft, the Sukhoi-30 MKI, the latest supersonic fighter aircraft, from Lohegaon (Pune) airbase. As a 74-year old, he created a record by becoming the oldest Indian co-pilot to do so. The president donned a G Suit before boarding the aircraft, and was also given instructions by Air Force officials. He was strapped in by Corporal H L Ganesh. He flew at a height of six to eight kilometers in the air at a speed of 1500Km/Hr. The flight lasted 30 minutes. Wing Commander Ajay Rathore, Commanding Officer of the SU-30 MKI squadron flew the President.
His popularity among Indian youth can be gauged from the fact that his request to re election as president petition in Petition Online site is the one of the Top 10 petitions for the past several days.
He gave his first 10 months income of president to the NGO created and managed by the great Indian spiritual woman Mata Amritanandamayi
As a sign of his popularity among Indian youth, MTV-India recently nominated him as one of the prospects for its MTV India Youth Icon for the year 2006 Award[5]

Books
Wings of Fire

India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Y.S. Rajan (Penguin Books India, 2003) ISBN 0-14-027833-8
India-my-dream by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (Excel Books, 2004) ISBN 81-7446-350-X
Envisioning an Empowered Nation: Technology for Societal Transformation by A.P.J.Abdul Kalam (TATA McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, 2004) ISBN 0-07-053154-4
Guiding Souls: Dialogues on the Purpose of Life by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Arun K Tiwari, (Ocean Books, 2005) ISBN 81-88322-73-3
Biographies
Wings of Fire: An Autobiography of APJ Abdul Kalam by A.P.J Abdul Kalam, Arun Tiwari (Orient Longman, 1999) ISBN 81-7371-146-1
Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (Penguin Books, 2003) ISBN 0-14-302982-7
Scientist to President by Abdul A.P.J. Kalam (Gyan Publishing House, 2003) ISBN 81-212-0807-6
Eternal Quest: Life and Times of Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam by S. Chandra (Pentagon Publishers, 2002) ISBN 81-86830-55-3
President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam by R. K. Pruthi (Anmol Publications, 2002) ISBN 81-261-1344-8
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam: The Visionary of India' by K. Bhushan, G. Katyal (A.P.H. Pub. Corp, 2002) ISBN 81-7648-380-X

APJ Abdul Kalam: Cosmic angel

Abhay Singh, merinews
02 December 2006, Saturday
Views: 486 Comments: 2

His confident gait, his soft mannerism, his confident body language, his ever-smiling looks and his defining hair locks — all tell you from where President Kalam comes.

I will not be presumptuous enough to say that my life can be a role model for anybody; but some poor child living in an obscure place, in an underprivileged social setting, may find a little solace in the way my destiny has been shaped. It could perhaps help such children liberate themselves from the bondage of their illusory backwardness and hopelessness. — APJ Abdul Kalam

FOR A MAN who spent most his life in a 10-feet wide and 12-feet long room filled with books, papers and borrowed furniture, it’s been a long journey to the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Which is why President APJ Abdul Kalam’s message of being a role model for the less privileged, cuts so deep and sounds so credible. You trust him as you trust his words. A no-nonsense man, who has risen from the ranks to occupy the country’s highest seat after having empowered the nation through the many projects that he masterminded.

Humility of the man, who has achieved so much, is unmistakably his hallmark. There has never been a hint of arrogance in his 75-long years in which he taught his disciples like a true guru and cracked the atomic code to blunt the enemy’s threat. He remains the same, unchanged, in all his years, taking supreme delight in the micro world where electrons whiz and atoms float. In the micro world, he discovered the cosmic design and limitless source of energy, the spirituality that others go everywhere to seek but never find it — neither at Mecca or in the Hiamalayas. His life-message is unique and inspiring, in particular for those who are groping to reach somewhere in life and discover a meaning.

Essentially a dreamer, he kept setting for himself newer frontiers to achieve. And, he kept on achieving and entering newer realms which only few in their lifetime are able to transcend. All this, in his isolation, which he turned into a source of his greatest strength. He harnessed his celibacy to propel himself to live his dreams that once fired his imagination.

He comes from the deep, the very depth at which creation hides its secrets and plays out at the macrocosmic plane. And, it’s all very evident — in the poems he writes, the exhortations he gives, and even in his child-like chuckles. You see him and know he has seen it all — the ultimate secret that is hidden in the atom’s core. He has penned his deep thoughts in his autobiography, The Wings of Fire: “In a state of trance, I acquired my double status, as a child of heaven and of earth. The paternal forces of heaven and the maternal and cosmic forces of nature embraced me as parents hug their long-lost child. I scribbled in my diary:
Away! fond thoughts, and vex my soul no more!
Work claimed my wakeful nights, my busy days
Albeit brought memories of Rameswaram shore
Yet haunt my dreaming gaze!"

The child in him helped him unlock the impossible doors and make most meaningful the opportunities that life opened up for him. We get a hint of his sensitivity in The Wings of Fire: “I sat alone for quite some time in silent contemplation. The sand and shells of Rameswaram; the care of Iyadurai Solomon in Ramanathapuram; the guidance of Rev Father Sequeira in Trichi and Prof Pandalai in Madras, the encouragement of Dr Mediratta in Bangalore; the hovercraft ride with Prof Menon, the pre-dawn visit to the Tilpat Range with Prof Sarabhai; the healing touch of Dr Brahm Prakash on the day of the SLV-3 failure; the national jubilation on the SLV-3 launch; Madam Gandhi’s appreciative smile, the post-SLV-3 simmering at VSSC, Dr Ramanna’s faith in inviting me to DRDO; the IGMDP, the creation of RCI, Prithvi, Agni... a gust of memories swept over me. Where were all these men now? My father, Prof Sarabhai, Dr Brahm Prakash? Could I meet them and share my joy with them?”

There is an end for everybody, but he has already left behind much to live forever as the one the greatest Indian scientists and the most humble Rashtrapati.

Profile

DR. A.P.J. ABDUL KALAMPRESIDENT OF INDIA
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. 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 Defence Research and Development Organisation as the Chief Executive of Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). 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 Adviser to Defence Minister and Secretary, Department of Defence Research & Development from July 1992 to December 1999. During this period he led to the weaponisation of strategic missile systems and the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in collaboration with Department of Atomic Energy, which made India a nuclear weapon State. He also gave thrust to self-reliance in defence systems by progressing multiple development tasks and mission projects such as Light Combat Aircraft.As Chairman of Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) 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. Kalam has served as the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, in the rank of Cabinet Minister, from November 1999 to November 2001 and was responsible for evolving policies, strategies and missions for many development applications. Dr. Kalam was also the Chairman, Ex-officio, of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet (SAC-C) and piloted India Millennium Mission 2020.Dr. Kalam took up academic pursuit as Professor, Technology & 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 four of Dr. Kalam's books - "Wings of Fire", "India 2020 - A Vision for the 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.Dr. Kalam is one of the most distinguished scientists of India with the unique honour of receiving honorary doctorates from 30 universities and institutions. He has been awarded the coveted civilian awards - Padma Bhushan (1981) and Padma Vibhushan (1990) and the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna (1997). He is a recipient of several other awards and Fellow of many professional institutions.Dr. Kalam became the 11th President of India on 25th July 2002. His focus is on transforming India into a developed nation by 2020.