Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam) was born on October 15, 1931. His birth anniversary is celebrated as World Students’ Day. He was an Indian scientist and also a politician and leader who later became the 11th President of India. He played an important role in the development of India’s missile and nuclear weapons programs. He received several major accolades, including India’s highest civilian distinction, the “Bharat Ratna,” in 1997. He was born in Dhanushkodi, Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, and went on to study physics and aerospace engineering.
APJ Abdul Kalam
Early Years
Born in Rameswaram in 1931, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was raised by a rich Tamil Muslim family in the Madras Presidency of British India before moving to Tamil Nadu in the present day. Originally called “Mara Kalam Iyakkivar” (wooden boat steerers), his family subsequently adopted the name “Marakier.” After their companies collapsed in the 1920s, Abdul Kalam turned to newspaper sales to support his family. Kalam was described as a bright, diligent student who had a tremendous desire to learn, especially in mathematics, despite having ordinary grades. After graduating from Schwartz Higher Secondary School, he went on to the Madras Institute of Technology to study aircraft engineering. Kalam was determined to become a fighter pilot in the IAF, but he was unsuccessful.
Scientist Kalam
Following graduation in 1960, Kalam began working as a scientist at the DRDO’s aeronautical development establishment. He began his career by creating a little hovercraft. He was not, however, persuaded by his decision to work for the DRDO. In 1969, Kalam was moved to ISRO, where he oversaw the launch of India’s first satellite vehicle as project director. In July 1980, the satellite vehicle successfully launched the Rohini satellite into near-Earth orbit. The government’s LV and SLV projects were awarded to Kalam from the 1970s to the 1990s. He oversaw two initiatives, Project Devil and Project Valiant, which sought to use the technology from the successful SLV program to construct ballistic missiles. Kalam requested covert funding for various aerospace projects after managing to persuade Indira Gandhi. His extensive knowledge and research skills led him to the nation’s great laurels in the 1980s.
Kalam became the scientific advisor to the defence minister in 1992 and later the principal scientific advisor to the government. His role in India’s 1998 nuclear weapons tests solidified its status as a nuclear power. He proposed the Technology Vision 2020 to transform India from a developing to a developed nation.
11th President of India
Sir Kalam had a right to serve as India’s eleventh president. He won the presidential election in 2002 by a wide plurality of votes, which allowed him to serve from July 25, 2002, until July 25, 2007. The National Congress Party and Samajwadi Party endorsed the National Democratic Alliance’s presidential nomination of him. Since he had accomplished so much for the welfare of the populace and the nation as a whole, he was adoringly referred to as the “president of the peoples.”
The fearless and brave Sir Kalam established severe laws and judgments, like the “office of profit” in 1701. In 2005, he gained notoriety as president after he imposed Presidents’ rule in Bihar. Following his departure from government service, he held positions as chancellor at the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, professor of aerospace engineering at Anna University, and visiting professor at the Indian Institute of Management. To combat corruption in India, he launched the “What Can I Give?” program in 2012.
Missile Man Kalam
His contribution to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the educational sector has been remarkable, Ballistic missile and space programs of India. The Agni and Prithvi missiles, which improved India’s defense capabilities, were developed with his help.
In his capacity as the Prime Minister’s Chief Scientific Advisor and the head of the Indian Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Dr. Kalam was instrumental in the country’s 1998 nuclear tests at Pokhran, which successfully established India as a nuclear power. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) are two of the satellite launch vehicles that Dr. Kalam endorsed and pushed for development.
Vision 2020 is a plan that Dr. Kalam, a visionary leader, created to transform India into a developed country by the year 2020. In order to do this, he emphasized the significance of education, technology, and sustainable development.
Achievements
In 1981, the Indian government awarded Dr. Kalam the Padma Bhushan, and nine years later, the Padma Vibhushan. Dr. Kalam received the Bharat Ratna, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in 1997. He was also given the Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration in that same year.
Dr. Kalam received two honors in 1998: the Veer Savarkar Award and the Sastra Ramanujan Prize. The National Space Society presented the former President with the Von Braun award in 2013, just prior to his passing.
APJ Abdul Kalam
A versatile political figure, educator, and author, Dr. Abdul Kalam had aspirations for the advancement of his nation. Through his motivational talks, he enthralled pupils and wrote books aimed at strengthening the nation. He created India 2020 with an emphasis on advanced technology self-reliance, infrastructure development, information and communication systems, healthcare, infrastructure, and electricity production.
This versatile individual was a renowned researcher who produced enormous and continuous creative scientific and mechanical work. In the truest sense, he was the one who turned our nation into an atomic power. India conducted the most famous atomic test in 1974, with Dr. Kalam serving as the overseer. In 1988, Pokhran – II was released. Dr. Kalam used these atomic tests to showcase India’s position and capabilities in atomic innovation around the globe.
Reference :
https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/a-p-j-abdul-kalam-1531230250-1
https://www.presidentofindia.gov.in/abdulkalam/