Dr. Kalam: The Missile Man of India

There are very few people who can inspire you even when they are not around. Abdul Kalam was one of the few. That’s a writer, no! That’s a teacher, that’s a scientist no! That’s a good man, that’s the man who made India fly, that’s India’s ‘Missile Man’ Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam! He was a man who held the highest honorable office in the country, had the most powerful forces at disposal and yet ‘simply’ requested people to remember him as a man who is a ‘teacher’. I was in school, studying in the eighth standard, there was a chapter on Dr. Kalam’s life in the syllabus. Lesser I knew that this four-page chapter will go to motivate and inspire me rest of my life. Days I feel I cannot keep with the world I think of him, the young boy who sold the newspaper to make a living yet climbed the ladder to greatness with sheer determination.Then as a college student, I had an opportunity to read Wings of Fire, the autobiography of the former Indian President, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
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 The story of the “missile man” who rose to great heights from humble beginnings is truly inspiring.While there are several anecdotes that dot President Kalam’s life, there’s one that I read somewhere, particularly endearing and stands testimony to his character.As per Indian Constitution, the Government of India takes care of the President of India as well as of all the former Presidents. Knowing the fact, Dr. Kalam, during his tenure as President, decided to give away all his wealth and life savings towards a fund called PURA (providing urban amenities in rural areas.) Apparently, Dr. Kalam called up Verghese Kurien, the Founder of AMUL, and asked, “Now that I have become the President of India, the government is going to look after me till I will be alive; so what can I do with my savings and salary?” This incident shows how giving he was.Dr. B.R Ambedkar’s words, “A great man is different from the eminent one in that he is ready to be the servant of the society” fit perfectly on the life of the legend Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. Not many are referred as the ‘son of the nation’ and only rarest are called the ‘son of society’. Crowdfundign India using Milaap
He Taught Us to Dream and Fulfill It “Dreams transform into thoughts and thoughts result in action. Dreams are not those that come while sleeping, but dreams are those when you don’t sleep before fulfilling them”.He Inspired UsMy message, especially to young people is to have the courage to think differently, courage to invent, to travel the unexplored path, the courage to discover the impossible and to conquer the problems and succeed.He Made Us Realize the Importance of LearningLearning gives creativity, creativity leads to Thinking, thinking provides knowledge, and knowledge makes you greatHe Urged Us to Be ResponsibleBe Active! Take On responsibility. Work for the things you believe in! If you do not, you are surrendering your fate to others. He Motivated Us. Man Needs Difficulties in Life because difficulties are necessary to enjoy successAnd he “Ignited Our Minds”We are all born with a divine fire in us. Our efforts should be to give wings to this fire and fill the world with the glow of its goodness.We will miss luminaries like him beyond words.
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