Today, 15 October is 86th birth anniversary of missile man and people’s president A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. He was a scientist, loved president and author too but his favourite job was teaching. He is unarguably the most loved president of India and better known as ‘People’s President’. He is always an inspiration for everyone specially the ‘youth’. He vision, ideas and dreams for youth made him very popular amongst them. He wanted the world to remember him as teacher. Even the United Nations declared his birthday (October 15) as ‘World Student’s Day’ in 2010. Let’s have a look on his life and celebrations of his birth anniversary.
Life and Career
Born 15 October, 1931 in Rameswaram, Ramanathapuram in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, APJ Kalam is an ordinary man with extraordinary talent. His full name is Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen (APJ) Abdul Kalam. He was born in very poor family. His father was a boat owner and mother was a housewife.
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam studied Aeronautical Engineering and Physics. He started his professional career with Defense Research and Development Organisation. Later, he served in ISRO as a project director. He also played a pivotal organisational, technical, and political role in India’s Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998, the first since the original nuclear test by India in 1974. He was the one who played the lead role in developing missiles like AGNI and PRITHVI. Due to for his contribution in developing ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology, APJ Kalam is also known as ‘Missile Man’.
Awards and Honours
People’s president Kalam was honoured with many prestigious awards. In 1981, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan and in 1990, the Padma Vibhushan. He was later awarded the Bharat Ratna.
Books by Kalam
APJ Kalam had written several wonderful books. His famous works include Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India, India 2020 – A Vision for the New Millennium and Wings of Fire.
Celebration of Birth Anniversary
For the 86th birth anniversary of the late president, APJ Abdul Kalam, there is celebration at Rashtrapati Bhavan. This event will be attended by President Ram Nath Kovind. As per the A P J Abdul Kalam International Foundation, the present president will interact with Kalam’s family members at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
He will also receive the Kalam Sandesh Vahini: Vision 2020 bus, which is expected to arrive on the day after travelling through 16 states, spreading the message about Kalam’s vision. Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off this bus this year on July 27.
The A P J Abdul Kalam International Foundation has been conducting 86 events since October 1 in New Delhi, Chennai and Rameshwaram to commemorate Kalam’s 86th birth anniversary.
S M Khan, who had served as press secretary to Kalam and is an advisor to the Kalam Foundation, said it was important to carry forward the late president’s vision for the youth.
