APJ Abdul Kalam

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Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam generally referred to as APJ Abdul Kalam, was the 11th President of India, served from 2002 to 2007, at the time of tenure of the National Democratic Alliance of India coalition government he was elected as the President under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He was born in 15 October 1931 in Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu. Kalam’s father was a devout Muslim.
After he graduated in science from St. Joseph’s college in Tiruchi, he also graduated with a diploma in 1950s from Madras Institute of Technology specializing in Aeronautical Engineering.
Before his term as a president, he worked as an aeronautical engineer with ISRO and DRDO. His role as a scientific advisor to the Indian government. He is famously known as the “Missile Man of India” for his outstanding work on the development of space rocket technology’ and ‘ballistic missile’. He played a major part in developing many missiles of India. He was the Chief Scientific Adviser to Prime Minister and Secretary, Department of Research & Development and under him Pokhran-II nuclear tests were also conducted.

Abdul Kalam is the chancellor of Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology at Thiruvanthapuram and a professor at Anna University, which is located in Chennai and also worked as a faculty for many other research and academic institutions across the country.

A book written by Abdul kalam “India 2020” he strongly advocates an action plan to improve India a knowledge superpower and into a developed nation by 2020. He regards his works on India’s nuclear weapons program. It was reported that there is a much demand for the book translated version in South Korea. He has given an important on the development in the field of Science and Technology; he advised a research programme for establishing bio-implants. He is also a supporter of Open source software over proprietary solutions and he trust that the use of this on a large scale would bring the benefits of IT to more people in the country.
On 29th of April 2009, Abdul became the first Asian to be presented the 2008 Hoover Medal. He is a pre-eminent scientist, a brilliant engineer and a true visionary. He is also a human humanitarian in all sense of the word. Abdul was a recipient of the International Von Karman Wings Award on 15th September, 2010 and he was awarded Padma Vibhushan in the year 1999, the “Padma Bhushan” in the year 1981, and the “Bharat Ratna” in 1997 for his excellent work with ISRO and DRDO. He is also the third President of India to have been honoured with Bharat Ratna before being elected the highest office. Dr. Kalam received an honorary doctorate from Carnegie Mellon University.

Authors of books

APJ Abdul Kalam also has written a good collection of books and documentaries. Some of his collections are:
 “Wings of Fire” in 2002,
  • “Wings of Fire” in 2002
  • “Scientist to President” in 2003
  • “Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power within India” in 2003
  • “India 2020” in 2003
  • “India –my-dream” in 2004
  • “Envisioning an Empowered Nation: Technology for Societal Transformation” in 2004
  • “Guiding Soul: Dialogues on the Purpose of Life” in 2005, “Children Ask Kalam”. “Indomitable Spirit” in 2006
  • “The Scientist Indian: A Twenty-first Century Guide to the World around Us”
  • He is the first scientist and first bachelor to occupy the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

 Summary

  • Abdul Kalam is a pre-eminent scientist and book writer.
  • Abdul Kalam was the 11th President of India, served from 2002 to 2007.
  • Abdul was a recipient of the International Von Karman Wings Award on 15th September, 2010.
  • Awarded Padma Vibhushan in the year 1999.
  • Awarded “Padma Bhushan” in the year 1981.
  • In 1997, he Awarded “Bharat Ratna” for his contribution with ISRO and DRDO.
  • He is the first scientist and first bachelor to occupy the Rashtrapati Bhavan.