APJ Abdul Kalam Biography, Speeches, Quotes and Facts

Who is Dr APJ Abdul Kalam?

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam is the 11th president of Bharat, who is also called as people's president. He has also been a scientist who helped Bharat be self-reliant in missile technology. In his later days, he became a living guide for Bhartiya youth.

APJ Abdul Kalam's biography

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was born on 15th October 1931 in Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu. His father would lend his boat to the local ferry driver, thus making money. Due to Abdul Kalam's poor family condition, as a kid, he had to sell newspapers.

APJ Abdul Kalam on his mother

APJ Abdul Kalam is especially grateful to his mother. While writing an autobiography he recalls how his mother would sacrifice her chapati and give him extra chapati. And how his mother would light him a lamp at night for Kalam's studies.

APJ Abdul Kalam on his teachers - Ride of Dreams

APJ Abdul Kalam is grateful for his teachers. One teacher he recalls specifically is sir Siva Subramaniam Iyer, his fifth-grade teacher. Sir Siva Subramaniam Iyer was the one who taught Kalam about the flight of birds. He was the one who instilled the dreams of aeronautics in Kalam.

Professor Thotharti Iyengar was Abdul Kalam BSc professor. His speciality was that he would ask students to look at indigenous science and its contribution to the development of the world. He would give examples of Aryabhatta and Ramanujan to inspire students.

Professor Srinivasan: When APJ Abdul Kalam was in Madras institute of technology doing aeronautical engineering. In Kalam's final year, the professor gave them a project to design a low-level attack hovercraft. The project had to be completed in 6 months and Abdul Kalam was the project leader. The professor checked their design after 5 months and remarked 'it is disappointing'. He threatened Kalam 'I will give you three days for the project recovery. If it is not brought up to my expectation then I am going to cancel your scholarship.' After just 2 days the professor revisited to check the progress. He was so happy to see the progress that he hugged Kalam. For the past 2 days, the team worked day and night for the project recovery, which it failed to do in the past 5 months.

Therefore Abdul Kalam quotes:

The ignited mind of the Youth is the most powerful resource on the earth, under the earth, and above the earth.

APJ Abdul Kalam's education

From childhood till higher secondary, the medium of Abdul Kalam's education was Tamil. After his primary education, APJ Abdul Kalam went to do a BSc from St Joseph College Trichy. After his BSc Abdul Kalam went to pursue aeronautical engineering from Madras institute of technology (1954 to 1957).

Abdul Kalam journey to become Missile man

After doing aeronautical engineering Abdul Kalam joined HAL as a trainee. Post that he joined DTDP and worked there for three years @ 250 rupees per month as project lead for Nandi hovercraft. In 1963 Abdul Kalam was appointed by ISRO as project director for India's first satellite launch vehicle, which would put the Rohini satellite in orbit. After a technical failure in 1979, the satellite was successfully launched in 1980.

In 1982 Dr Abdul Kalam joined the missile program in DRDO. Where he was responsible for launching 5 missiles 1)Agni 2)Trishul 3)Akash 4)Nag 5)Prithvi. Despite stopping from MTCR, he made Bharat self-reliant in missile technology.

In 1992 Dr Kalam joined as chief scientific advisor to the defence minister, where he launched operation Shakti (Pokhran 2).

On July 25th 2002 Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was appointed as president of Bharat. He served as 11th president of Bharat from 2002 to 2007.

Post this he became a teacher who would help youth shaping their vision.

APJ Abdul Kalam mantra for success

1. Aim Big
2. Acquire Knowledge
3. Work Hard
4. Persevere till you reach your goal

APJ Abdul Kalam hand-picked quotes

Where there is righteousness in the heart there is beauty in the character, when there is beauty in the character there is harmony in the home, when there is harmony in the home there is order in the nation, when there is order in the nation there is peace in the world;

Let not my winged days be spent in vain

Make it a habit to smile, it will create lots of friendship and happiness

Work with integrity and succeed with integrity

When I wish upon a star Makes no difference who I am, anything my heart desires will come to me

Youth is not defined by the age but the state of the mind, a temper of the will, imagination, courage over timidity and adventure over ease of life

To achieve any success you need to first control your senses and when this is combined with vision you can achieve any goal

Facts about APJ Abdul Kalam

1. APJ Abdul Kalam was awarded by Bharat Ratna in the year 1997
2. A chapter inspired by APJ Abdul Kalam is included in NCERT as 'The Exemplary Boss'
3. In Switzerland, science day is celebrated on May 26 to honour Kalam, who visited Switzerland on 26th May 2005
4. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was a pure vegetarian.
   
5. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam died on 27th of July 2015 at the age of 85. Till his last breath he was working. He was giving lecture to the students of IIM Shillong.