The ‘Missile Man Of India,’ APJ Abdul Kalam, Is Remembered on His Death Anniversary

Former Indian President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, for whom work was practically worship, once said, “When I am dead, do not declare a holiday; instead work a day extra.” On July 27, 2022, the nation will remember the “Missile Man of India,” Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, on the occasion of his 7th death anniversary.

Early Life of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam –

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, who was born on October 15, 1931, to a Tamil Muslim family in the pilgrimage town of Rameswaram, used to sell newspapers as a young child to supplement the family’s meagre income.

He was a clever and excellent student who put in a lot of time studying, particularly mathematics. He grew up majoring in aerospace engineering and physics. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam has served as a scientist and science administrator for the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) (ISRO).

With only eight seats available in the IAF, he narrowly missed out on achieving his dream of becoming a fighter pilot after placing ninth in the qualifiers.

Career of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam –

The Rohini satellite was sent into orbit around the earth by the SLV-III, the first satellite launch vehicle, under the direction of Dr. Kalam.

As the “Missile Man of India,” he also carried out the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program.

Under Kalam’s leadership, the nation developed the surface-to-surface Prithvi, surface-to-air Trishul, and anti-tank Nag missiles, among other innovations.

Dr. Kalam was a key player in India’s 1998 nuclear test, which was overseen by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the country’s prime minister at the time.

The Pokhran-II tests in May 1998, which shocked the international community and even led to economic penalties against India, made Dr. Kalam a household name.

The “Kalam-Raju Stent,” a reasonably priced coronary stent, was created in 1998 by Kalam in partnership with cardiologist Soma Raju. The pair created the Kalam-Raju Tablet in 2012, a durable tablet computer for rural health care.

In 1990, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan, and in 1997, he was given the Bharat Ratna, the nation’s highest civilian accolade.

In addition, he has written other books. Numerous of his best-selling books are still being read years after their publication. Wings of Fire, Ignited Minds, India 2020, Turning Points, and Transcendence are a few of his best-selling novels.

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam presided over India as its eleventh president. He was widely referred to as the “People’s President” due to his simplicity, and after serving one term, he went back to his civilian life of teaching, writing, and public service. He became an inspiration to many Indian politicians.

Death of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam –

Dr. Kalam passed unexpectedly from a heart arrest on July 27, 2015, while giving a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management, Shillong. The loss of their beloved president shook the nation. In response to Kalam’s passing, there was a nationwide outpouring of mourning, and several tributes to the former president were made on social media.

Indians are still motivated by his life tale, which demonstrates the strength of dreams. “Dream is not that which you see while sleeping, it is something that does not let you sleep,” he had stated.

Here are some inspiring quotes by the People’s President:

“To succeed in your mission, you must have single-minded devotion to your goal.”
“Be active! Take on responsibility! Work for the things you believe in. If you do not, you are surrendering your fate to others.”
“Youth should not accept any compromise or lower their sights. A society that makes its youth crawl in conformity
and enforces dogmas on their aspirations can never flourish.”
“Don’t take rest after your first victory because if you fail in second, more lips are waiting to say that your first victory was just luck.”
“Let us sacrifice our today so that our children can have a better tomorrow.”
“Determination is the power that sees us through all our frustration and obstacles. It helps in building our willpower which is the very basis of success.”
“Dream, dream, dream. Dreams transform into thoughts and thoughts result in action.”
“Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.”
“If you fail, never give up because FAIL means “First Attempt In Learning”.