A.P.J. Abdul Kalam- A Former President, Engineer, Scientist, Writer, Professor


Engineer, Scientist, President (1931–2015)
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was a prominent Indian scientist, Writer, and a he was also president of India.

  • Early Life 

                            A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was a prominent Indian scientist who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. Renowned for his pivotal role in the nation’s civilian space programme and military missile development, he was known as the Missile Man of India. He made significant contributions to India's Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998 which established him as a national hero. 
         An alumnus of the prestigious Madras Institute of Technology, Kalam began his career as a scientist at the Aeronautical Development Establishment of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). 
                        He was later transferred to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) where he served as the project director of India's first Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III). He eventually rejoined DRDO and became closely involved in India’s space programme. he served as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister in the 1990s before becoming the President of India in 2002. Immensely popular during his term, he earned the moniker of People's President. He was honored with several awards including the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honor, for his contribution to the nation’s space and nuclear programme.



  • Rise to the Presidency:

               His hopes of becoming a fighter pilot were dashed when he narrowly missed out on a spot with the Indian Air Force. Kalam instead joined the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) as a senior scientific assistant in 1958. After moving to the newly formed Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in 1969, he was named project director of the SLV-III, the first satellite launch vehicle designed and produced on Indian soil.
       Returning to the DRDO as director in 1982, Kalam implemented the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program. He then became the senior scientific adviser to India's defense minister in 1992, a position he used to campaign for the development of nuclear tests.
            Kalam was a key figure in the May 1998 Pokhran-II tests, in which five nuclear devices were detonated in the Rajasthan Desert. Although the tests resulted in condemnation and economic sanctions from other world powers, Kalam was hailed as a national hero for his staunch defense of the country’s security.
             In 2002, India's ruling National Democratic Alliance helped Kalam win an election against Lakshmi Sahgal and become India's 11th president, a largely ceremonial post. Known as the People's President, Kalam set a goal of conducting 500,000 one-on-one meetings with young people over the course of his five-year term. His immense popularity led to him being nominated by MTV for a Youth Icon of the Year award in 2003 and 2006.
                      After leaving office in 2007, Kalam became a visiting professor at several universities. He formed the "What Can I Give Movement" in 2011 with the goal of creating a compassionate society, and in 2012, his efforts to improve healthcare led to the release of a tablet for medical personnel to use in remote areas.

  • Personal Life 

                   A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was the youngest child in a close-knit family. He was very close to his parents, especially his mother, and had loving relationships with all of his four elder siblings.
              He never married. Throughout his life, he maintained close ties with his siblings and their extended families. A benevolent soul, he often sent money to his elderly relatives.
         He was a very simple person who lived an unpretentious lifestyle. He owned a few possessions—including his beloved veena and collection of books. He didn’t even have a television! A kind-hearted man, he was a vegetarian and consumed simple food.
         A devout Muslim, he had been raised with strict Islamic customs. He respected all religions and was well-versed in Hindu traditions in addition to his Islamic practices. He not only read the namaz daily and fasted during Ramadan, but also regularly read the Bhagavad Gita.
            He remained active till the very end. While delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong on 27 July 2015, he collapsed and was rushed to the Bethany Hospital. He was confirmed dead of a cardiac arrest at 7:45 pm. The Government of India declared a seven-day state mourning period as a mark of respect.
            His body was then flown first to Delhi, then to Madurai, and finally to Rameswaram where he was laid to rest at Pei Karumbu Ground with full state honors on 30 July 2015. His last rites were attended by over 350,000 including the Prime Minister, and the chief ministers of Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.

  • Top 10 Facts You Did Not Know About A.P.J. Abdul Kalam


A.P.J. Abdul Kalam grew up in poverty and distributed newspapers as a young boy to contribute to his father’s meager income. He was a protégé of the great Indian scientist Dr. Vikram Sarabhai who guided him and gave him valuable advice.
             He always faced the press following failed tests at ISRO and accepted responsibility for his mistakes but never claimed the credit for any of the massive successes achieved at the organization.
            He was the first bachelor to become the president and occupy Rashtrapati Bhawan. Kalam was the third President of India to have been honored with a Bharat Ratna before being elected to the office of President. He was known to write his own thank you cards with personalized messages in his own handwriting.
                  He was a scholar of Thirukkural (a classic of couplets or Kurals) and was known to quote at least one couplet in most of his speeches. He had a keen interest in literature and wrote poems in his native Tamil.
        A practicing Muslim, he was also well versed with Hindu traditions and read the Bhagavad Gita. He had more than a million followers on Twitter but followed only 38 people.


  • Books By Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium (co-authored with Yagnaswami Sundara Rajan, 1998)

Wings of Fire: An Autobiography (1999)

Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India (2002)

The Luminous Sparks (2004)

Inspiring Thoughts (2007)

You Are Born To Blossom: Take My Journey Beyond (co-authored with Arun Tiwari, 2011)

Turning Points: A Journey Through Challenges (2012)

A Manifesto for Change: A Sequel to India 2020 (co-authored with V. Ponraj, 2014)

Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji (co-authored with Arun Tiwari, 2015)

  • Books On Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam:


President A P J Abdul Kalam by R K Pruthi, 2000

Eternal Quest: Life and Times of Dr. Kalam by S Chandra, 2002

A P J Abdul Kalam: The Visionary of India by K Bhushan and G Katyal, 2002

The Kalam Effect: My Years with the President by P M Nair, 2008

My Days With Mahatma Abdul Kalam by Fr A K George, 2009



  • Awards:

2014 Doctor of Science Edinburgh University

2013 Von Braun from the National Space Society

2012 Doctor of Laws Simon Fraser University

2011 IEEE Honorary Membership IEEE

2009 Hoover Medal ASME Foundation, USA

2008 Doctor of Engineering Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

2007 Doctorate of Science from the University of Wolverhampton, UK

2007 King Charles II Medal from Royal Society, UK

2000 Ramanujan Award from Always Research Centre, Chennai

1998 Veer Savarkar Award from Government of India

1997 Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration from Indian National Congress

1997 Bharat Ratna from Government of India

1990 Padma Vibhushan from Government of India

1981 Padma Bhushan from Government of India

  • Death



On July 27, 2015, Kalam suffered a massive heart attack while lecturing at the Indian Institute of Management and subsequently died at the age of 83.

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