A tribute to the \\\'Missile Man of India\\\'

Born in modest surroundings in a Muslim family in rural Tamil Nadu, a young boy who traded newspapers as a boy to support his family make ends meet, badge to the uppermost office in the land. And he did so not through the orthodox route of a political career but through the pit of hard work as a scientist in government service.

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (15 October 1931 - 27 July 2015) was the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. He spent the next four decades as a scientist and science administrator, mainly at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and was intimately involved in India's civilian space program and military missile development efforts. He thus came to be known as the Missile Man of India for his work on the development of ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology. He also played a pivotal organizational, technical and political role in India's Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998, the first since the original nuclear test by India in 1974.

India's "missile man", Abdul Kalam was a rocket scientist who rose to prominence as head of the country's successful civilian space and missile defence programmes.

His popularity was undimmed by his renunciation of office. In departure he set himself a challenging schedule of speeches, markedly to educational institutions, and had an eccentric ability to connect with a variety of audiences.

'Man of simplicity'

Abdul Kalam was also, bizarrely for an Indian who engaged the high positions he did, a man of great simplicity.

During his 25 years as a scientist based in Thiruvananthapuram, he insinuated himself to usual people everywhere.

In this simplicity lay the secret of his ability to connect with people, across the boundaries of age, class, religion and region.

'Great human being'

He broke protocols to meet people, specially children, wherever he went and always wore his infectious smile. This was in stark contrast with most Indian politicians who usually follow strict rules and stay behind layers of security. He loved sharing his experiences and knowledge with young minds through his books and speeches.

Here are some of Kalam's inspirational sayings through which he will be remembered forever…

"You have to dream before your dreams can come true."

"If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are the father, the mother and the teacher."

"If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are the father, the mother and the teacher."

"My message, especially to young people, is to have courage to think differently, courage to invent, to travel the unexplored path, courage to discover the impossible and to conquer the problems and succeed. These are great qualities that they must work towards. This is my message to the young people."

"To succeed in your mission, you must have single-minded devotion to your goal."

"Let me define a leader. He must have vision and passion and not be afraid of any problem. Instead, he should know how to defeat it. Most importantly, he must work with integrity."

"Great dreams of great dreamers are always transcended."

"Let us sacrifice our today so that our children can have a better tomorrow."

"Man needs his difficulties because they are necessary to enjoy success."

"Look at the sky. We are not alone. The whole universe is friendly to us and conspires only to give the best to those who dream and work."

"You see, God helps only people who work hard. That principle is very clear."

Kalam died of a massive cardiac arrest on the evening of 27 July 2015 after he collapsed while delivering a lecture on 'Livable Planet' at Indian Institute of Management Shillong. Government of India declared a seven-day state mourning as a mark of respect to the former President.

India has never had a more beloved president. Active till the end, he left the world in mid-speech, as if to remind us that he still had something more to say.

The shock of his sudden passing away has left a nation bereft. India mourns his death. APJ Abdul Kalam died at the age of 83. He was well-known for his modest and sociable nature and moved many lives during his eminent profession.

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