WHO IS ABDUL KALAM?
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam( Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam) was an Indian scientist who played a great role in the advancement of nuclear and missile program of India. He also served as a President of India from 2002 to 2007.
You have to dream before your dreams can come true
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION OF KALAM
Abdul Kalam was born on 15th October ,1931 at Rameswaram, India. He was the youngest of four brothers and one sister in his family. He did his schooling at Schwartz Higher Secondary School, Ramanathapuram. Being a bright and hard-working student he went on to attend Saint Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli where he graduated in physics in 1954. Having a great interest at aerospace, he studied aerospace engineering in Madras Institute of Technology.
Sometimes, it is better to bunk a class and enjoy with friends, because now, when I look back, marks never make me laugh, but memories do.
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
CAREER
After graduating from MIT, he applied for IAF(Indian Air Force) on which he ranked 9th where 8 applicants were selected. Then he joined the Aeronautical Development Establishment of the Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) in 1958. Soon he joined Indian Space Research Organization where he became project director of the India’s First Satellite Launch Vehicle, SLV-III. Rohini satellite was successfully deployed by the team.
In 1963 to 1964, he visited NASA for training related to rocket launch. The training boosted his experience on rocket. He received supports from government to expand his projects.
Kalam served as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and Secretary of the Defence Research and Development Organisation from July 1992 to December 1999. His great contribution on nuclear weapon test claimed him a national hero.
ABDUL KALAM AS A PRESIDENT
Kalam became the 11th President of India. National Democratic Alliance(NDA) expressed their nomination on Kalam for the post of President. Praising this, opposition parties including Nationalist Congress Party supported him. The voting was like a one way. He easily won the election. He remained committed to science and technology and proposed of technological plan for the upliftment of India.
AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
| 1981 | Received Padma Bhushan from the Government of India |
| 1990 | Received Padma Vibhushan from Government of India |
| 1994/1995 | Distinguished Fellow and Honorary Fellow by Institute of Directors India and National Academy of Medical Sciences |
| 1997 | Received Bharat Ratna from Government of India and Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration from Indian National Congress. |
| 1998 | Veer Savarkar Award from Government of India |
| 2000 | Ramanujan Award from Alwars Research Centre, Chennai |
| 2007 | Honoured with the King Charles II Medal by the Royal Society, U.K. and Doctorate of Science from University of Wolverhampton, UK |
| 2008 | Won the Hoover Medal given by ASME Foundation, USA and received Doctor of Engineering by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore |
| 2009 | The California Institute of Technology, U.S.A, presented Kalam with the International von Karman Wings Award, Hoover medal by ASME Foundation, USA and Honorary Doctorate by Oakland University |
| 2010 | Doctor of Engineering by University of Waterloo |
| 2011 | The IEEE honoured Kalam with IEEE Honorary Membership |
| 2012 | Doctor of Laws by Simon Fraser University |
| 2013 | Von Braun Award by the National Space Society |
| 2014 | Doctor of Science by the Edinburgh University, UK |
Award of Abdul Kalam
A QUICK REVIEW OF ABDUL KALAM
| Name | Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam |
| Born | 15th October ,1931Rameswaram, India |
| Died | 27 July 2015 (aged 83)Shillong, Meghalaya, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Muslim |
| Profession | Aerospace Scientist, Author |
| Education | B.Engineering, M.Engineering |
| Notable Credit | Missile Man |
BOOKS
India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium (co-authored with Yagnaswami Sundara Rajan, (1998)
Wings of Fire: An Autobiography (1999)
Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India (2002)
The Luminous Sparks (2004)
Mission India (2005)
Inspiring Thoughts (2007)
You Are Born To Blossom: Take My Journey Beyond (co-authored with Arun Tiwari, 2011)
Envisioning and Empowered Nation
Target 3 Billion by A.P.J. Kalam and Srijan Pal Singh (December 2011)
Turning Points: A journey Through Challenges (2012)
My Journey: Transforming Dreams into Actions (2013)
A Manifesto for Change: A Sequel to India 2020 (co-authored with V. Ponraj, 2014)
Reignited: Scientific Pathways to a Brighter Future by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Srijan Pal Singh (2015)
Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji (co-authored with Arun Tiwari, 2015)
Advantage India: From Challenge to Opportunity by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Srijan Pal Singh (2015)Paragraph
Governance for growth in India (2014)
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