Remembering APJ Abdul Kalam on his death anniversary

APJ Abdul Kalam Death Anniversary Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was born in a Tamil Muslim family on October 15 1931 His father Jainulabudeen was a boat owner and mother Ashiamma a housewife The family resided Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu India is remembering APJ Abdul Kalam on his death anniversary todayKalam had humble beginnings and had to start working at an early age to support his family He worked as a newspaper boy after school He was an average student in school but is fondly remembered as a bright and hardworking student with a strong desire to learnAPJ Abdul Kalam salutes a guard of honour at the presidential palace in New Delhi picsAFPMathematics held a special place in Kalams life and he spent hours studying his favorite subject Upon completing school Kalam pursued a physics degree at Saint Josephs College in TiruchirapalliThe President wearing a traditional costume in NagalandHowever his interest in learning the subject dwindled by the time he completed his degree in 1954 The former President also wished to serve in the Air Force but failed to make the cut by a narrow margin He stood ninth and only eight positions were availableProfileDr APJ Kalam made significant contributions to Indias space programmes as Project Director at ISRO He developed Indias first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle SLVIII which successfully injected the Rohini satellite in the near Earth orbit in July 1980 and made India an exclusive member of the Space ClubHe also played an active role in evolving the PSLVHe joined DRDO after working at ISRO for two decades At DRDO he developed Indigenous Guided Missiles as the Chief Executive of Integrated Guided MissileDevelopment Programme IGMDPAGNI and PRITHVI missiles were products of his developmentHe was also the Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister and Secretary DRDO from July 1992 to December 1999During his stint as the adviser he led to the weaponisation of strategic missile systems as well as the PokhranII nuclear tests in collaboration with Department of Atomic Energy which madeIndia a nuclear weapon StateDr Kalam laid out his vision for a developed India where 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 nationDr Kalam was also a Professor Technology amp Societal Transformation at Anna University Chennai from November 2001 and was involved in teaching and research tasksMeeting and igniting young minds was a mission of the former president that he carried on by meeting high school students across the countryHis books are household names in the country Wings of Fire and Ignited Minds being the most popularDr Kalam is one of Indias most distinguished scientists and holds the unique honour of receiving honorary doctorates from 30 universities and institutionsHe has been awarded highly coveted civilian awards Padma Bhushan 1981 and Padma Vibhushan 1990 and the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna 1997Dr Kalam became the 11th President of India on 25th July 2002 and demitted office in July 2007Golden wordsDont take rest after your first victory because if you fail in second more lips are waiting to say that your first victory was just luckAll birds find shelter during a rain But eagle avoids rain by flying above the cloudsFailure will never overtake me if my definition to succeed is strong enoughMan needs difficulties in life because they are necessary to enjoy the successIf you want to shine like a sun First burn like a sunIt is very easy to defeat someone but it is very hard to win someoneAll of us do not have equal talent But all of us have an equal opportunity to develop our talentsBooks by APJDevelopments in Fluid Mechanics and Space Technology with Roddam Narasimha 1988India 2020 A Vision for the New Millennium 1998Wings of Fire An Autobiography by A P J Abdul Kalam 1999Ignited Minds Unleashing the Power Within India 2002The Luminous Sparks 2004Mission India 2005Inspiring Thoughts 2007Indomitable Spirit year not mentionedEnvisioning an Empowered Nation year not mentionedYou Are Born To Blossom Take My Journey Beyond 2011Turning Points A journey through challenges by A P J Abdul Kalam 2012Target 3 Billion 2011My Journey Transforming Dreams into Actions 2013A Manifesto for Change A Sequel to India 2020 2014Transcendence My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji 2015