Rameswaram: On the first death anniversary of former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the foundation stone for building a national memorial was laid at his burial site Pei Karumbu here on Wednesday.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, while laying down the stone, said the construction work would begin soon and the memorial will be built in record time. Rameswaram is around 600 km from Chennai.