Remembering the ‘People’s President’: Dr APJ Abdul Kalam

October 15 marks the birthday of late Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, India’s former President. This day is also said to be ‘World Students’ Day’ to recognize the impact Dr. Kalam had on India’s educational sector.

While there is no clarity whether October 15 has been officially declared as ‘World Students’ Day” by the United Nations (U.N.), we can always pay tribute to Dr. Kalam, the ‘ Missile Man of India’ who will always be fondly remembered as “People’s President”.

1.Abdul Kalam was born as Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam.
2. He served as the 11th president of India from 2002-07.
3.Dr. Kalam started working at a very young age as he belonged to a poor family. It is even said that he used to distribute newspapers after school to support his family.
4. Dr. Kalam graduated with a degree in Physics in the year 1854.
5. At Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), he designed a small helicopter for the Indian army.
6. Dr. Kalam was transferred to ISRO in 1969 as the project director of India's first satellite launch vehicle (SLV-III) to deploy the Rohini satellite in the earth's orbit.
7. Dr. Kalam is popularly known as the 'Missile Man of India' for his work on missile and launch vehicle technology.
8. Wings of Fire (his autobiography), India 2020- A Vision for the New Millenium, Ignited Minds, My Journey, The Luminous Sparks, Children ask Kalam etc. are some books authored by Dr. Kalam.
9. In 2009, Dr. Kalam became the first Asian to be honoured with the ‘Hoover Medal’, America's top engineering prize. He has also received honorary doctorates from more than 30 universities.
10. Dr. Kalam was conferred with the Padma Bhushan in 1981, the Padma Vibhushan in 1990 and the Bharat Ratna in 1997.
11.On July 27, 2015, he collapsed while delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management, Shillong and was later pronounced dead because of cardiac arrest.