Missile Man of India: A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s Death Anniversary

APJ Abdul Kalam

Personal Details:

Early Life

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam was born on October 15, 1931, to a Tamil Muslim family in the pilgrimage center of Rmaeswara on Pamban Island. His father Jainulabdeen Marakayar was a boat owner and imam of a local mosque while his mother was a housewife.

Dr. Kalam was the youngest of four brothers and one sister in the family.  As a young boy in the family, Kalam has to sell newspapers in order to support his family which was poverty-stricken and was surviving on a meagre income.

Education

Abdul Kalam was an average student in his school years with a strong desire to learn. He has completed his education at Schwartz Higher Secondary School and then went to attend St. Joseph’s College and graduated in physics in 1954. He then moved to Madras to study aerospace engineering in Madras Institute of Technology.

APJ Abdul Kalam as a Scientist

After graduation, Abdul Kalam joined the Aeronautical Development Establishment of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) as a scientist after becoming a member of the Defence Research and Development Service. He started his career by designing a small hovercraft, however, remained unconvinced by his job at DRDO.

In 1969, he was transferred to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) as a project director of India’s first Satellite Launch Vehicle.

APJ Abdul Kalam also invited by Raja Ramanna to witness the country’s first nuclear test, Smiling Buddha, as the representative of the TBRL, even though he has not participated in the development.

Presidency

Kalam served as the 11^th President of India by winning the 2002 presidential election with an electoral vote of 922,884. His term lasted from 25^th July 2002 to 25^th July 2007.

Post-Presidency

After leaving office of president, Kalam served the following positions:

• A visiting professor at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong, the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad and the Indian Institute of Management Indore.
• He served as an honorary fellow of Indian Institute of Science Banglore.
• Chancellor of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Thiruvananthapuram.
• Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Anna University.

Death

On 27^th July 2015, Kalam travelled to Shillong to deliver a lecture on “Creating a Liveable Planet Earth” at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong. While climbing a flight of stairs, he expereiced some discomfort and at around 6:35 p.m., only five minutes inot his lecture, he collapsed. He was rushed to the nearby Benathy Hospital in a critical condition and was confirmed dead of a sudden cardiac arrest at 7:45 PM.

Awards won by APJ Abdul Kalam

Honorary Degree

Awards of APJ Abdul KalamDr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, popularly known as “Missile Man of India,” was a remarkable scientist, visionary leader and former President of India

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