Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam who is popularly
known as APJ Abdul Kalam is one of the most influential personalities
of India a great scientist. This former president of India ie., 11th
president of India is a lot more than just a political figure. He is a
scientist, thinker, Inspiration and a youth icon. Undoubtedly he is in
true sense “the missile man” of India. Though his life is an open book,
there are few unknown facts about him which most of us don’t know. Let
us have a look to them…
He is the first scientist and first unmarried person to become the President of India.
Kalam is the third President of India to have been honoured with a Bharat Ratna before being elected to the chair of President. The Bharat Ratna was conferred on Dr. Kalam by K. R. Narayanan who was then President of India.
Kalam is popularly known as the Missile Man of India for his work on the development of ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology.
He used to distribute newspapers after school hours in order to contribute to his father’s income and also his education.
He has got 1.37M of followers on Twitter
His father, a humble boat owner, Jainulabdeen, was a devout Muslim and a close friend of the Rameswaran temple priest.
Dr. Kalam is a scholar of Thirukkural (a classic of couplets or Kurals). In most of his speeches, he quotes at least one kural.
Kalam used to get up at 4 am, bathe, and then go for his mathematics class, which was taught by a teacher who took only five students in the whole session; and bathing before class was a condition he had laid to all his students.
Dr. Vikram Sarabhai acted as the mentor and guide of Kalam. He gave Kalam valuable advice on how to always reach for the stars.
When Dr Kalam’s first major project SLV 3-failed the first time he was almost shattered.
He was the Chief Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister and Secretary, Department of Defence Research & Development (July 1992 to December 1999). Pokhran-2 nuclear tests were conducted under his leadership.
According to the Article 72, of the Constitution of India, the President of India has the power to grant pardon, suspend and remit death sentences and commute the death sentence of convicts on death row. But he didn’t apply those powers on the mercy petitions of the 20 convicts. Kalam was judged for inaction as a President in deciding the fate of 20 out of the 21 mercy petitions. So he was criticized for this issue.
He graduated from Madras Institute of Technology in Aeronautical Engineering. He was Project Director at DRDO, where he played major role in the development of India’s first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III).
I Am Kalam which was released in 2011 is an inspirational Hindi film. Here Kalam is portrayed as an extremely positive influence to a poor but bright Rajasthani boy Chhotu, who renames himself Kalam in honour of his idol.
In 2003 and in 2006 he was nominated for the MTV Youth Icon of the Year award.
Mr.Kalam took great care of his colleagues. He is very kind and caring person. A co worker had promised his kids that he would take them to the local carnival after returning from work, the co-worker had also obtained the prior permission of Mr.Kalam to leave early. The colleague was involved in his work that it was well into and then he realised that he had made a promise to his kids. On rushing back home, he came to know through his wife that Mr.Kalam had come earlier and taken his kids to the carnival. How sweet of him
The most insulting day for every Indians when former President APJ Abdul Kalam was twice subjected to harassment at New York’s JFK Airport by the US security officers. Dr Kalam was forced to take his jacket and shoes off for security checking for explosives which is very disgusting. Then the 80-year-old Kalam was in the US in September to attend a series of events and the incident took place on September 29 at the time of his returning home from New York. After taking his seat in the aircraft, officials of the JFK Airport came inside and asked to check the President once again. Air India authorities along with all the Indians strongly protested the act.
The Government of India has honoured him with the nation’s highest civilian honours: the Padma Bhushan (1981), Padma Vibhushan (1990) and the Bharat Ratna (1997) for his contribution in ISRO and DRDO and his role as a scientific advisor to the Government of India.
His last Pic Before he passed away.
1. Kalam was Unmarried
He is the first scientist and first unmarried person to become the President of India.
2. Abdul Kalam Home
3. Received Bharat Ratna
Kalam is the third President of India to have been honoured with a Bharat Ratna before being elected to the chair of President. The Bharat Ratna was conferred on Dr. Kalam by K. R. Narayanan who was then President of India.
4. Missile Man of India
Kalam is popularly known as the Missile Man of India for his work on the development of ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology.
5. Distributed Newspaper After School Hours
He used to distribute newspapers after school hours in order to contribute to his father’s income and also his education.
6. Millions of Followers
He has got 1.37M of followers on Twitter
7. The Only Cricketer He Followed in Twitter Is VVS Laxman
8. His Father was a devout Muslim
9. Abdul Kalam School
10. Kalam Quotes At Least One Kural During his Speech
Dr. Kalam is a scholar of Thirukkural (a classic of couplets or Kurals). In most of his speeches, he quotes at least one kural.
11. Wake Ups at 4 am
Kalam used to get up at 4 am, bathe, and then go for his mathematics class, which was taught by a teacher who took only five students in the whole session; and bathing before class was a condition he had laid to all his students.
12. Kalams Mentor
Dr. Vikram Sarabhai acted as the mentor and guide of Kalam. He gave Kalam valuable advice on how to always reach for the stars.
13. First Major Project SLV 3-Failed
When Dr Kalam’s first major project SLV 3-failed the first time he was almost shattered.
14. Chief Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister and Secretary
He was the Chief Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister and Secretary, Department of Defence Research & Development (July 1992 to December 1999). Pokhran-2 nuclear tests were conducted under his leadership.
15. Kalam Was Criticized For Lackadaisical Approach
According to the Article 72, of the Constitution of India, the President of India has the power to grant pardon, suspend and remit death sentences and commute the death sentence of convicts on death row. But he didn’t apply those powers on the mercy petitions of the 20 convicts. Kalam was judged for inaction as a President in deciding the fate of 20 out of the 21 mercy petitions. So he was criticized for this issue.
16. Graduated from Madras Institute of Technology in Aeronautical Engineering
He graduated from Madras Institute of Technology in Aeronautical Engineering. He was Project Director at DRDO, where he played major role in the development of India’s first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III).
17. Inspirational Hindi film
I Am Kalam which was released in 2011 is an inspirational Hindi film. Here Kalam is portrayed as an extremely positive influence to a poor but bright Rajasthani boy Chhotu, who renames himself Kalam in honour of his idol.
18. Youth Icon Award
In 2003 and in 2006 he was nominated for the MTV Youth Icon of the Year award.
19. Kalam Was A Part Of Country’s First Nuclear Test
20. Kalam Is So Caring
Mr.Kalam took great care of his colleagues. He is very kind and caring person. A co worker had promised his kids that he would take them to the local carnival after returning from work, the co-worker had also obtained the prior permission of Mr.Kalam to leave early. The colleague was involved in his work that it was well into and then he realised that he had made a promise to his kids. On rushing back home, he came to know through his wife that Mr.Kalam had come earlier and taken his kids to the carnival. How sweet of him
21. Harassment at New York Airport
The most insulting day for every Indians when former President APJ Abdul Kalam was twice subjected to harassment at New York’s JFK Airport by the US security officers. Dr Kalam was forced to take his jacket and shoes off for security checking for explosives which is very disgusting. Then the 80-year-old Kalam was in the US in September to attend a series of events and the incident took place on September 29 at the time of his returning home from New York. After taking his seat in the aircraft, officials of the JFK Airport came inside and asked to check the President once again. Air India authorities along with all the Indians strongly protested the act.
22. Scientific Advisor to the Government of India
The Government of India has honoured him with the nation’s highest civilian honours: the Padma Bhushan (1981), Padma Vibhushan (1990) and the Bharat Ratna (1997) for his contribution in ISRO and DRDO and his role as a scientific advisor to the Government of India.
23. Last Pic
His last Pic Before he passed away.
