APJ Abdul Kalam Early Life
Abdul Kalam was born on 15 October 1931 in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu to a Muslim family. His father Zainulabidin was a sailor and his mother Ashiamma was a homemaker. His family’s financial condition was not good, so he had to work from a young age. Kalam used to distribute newspaper after school to help his father financially. During his school days, Kalam was normal in studies but always ready and willing to learn something new. He had a hunger for learning and he used to pay attention to studies for hours.
He did his schooling from Ramanathapuram Schwartz Matriculation School and then attended St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirapalli, from where he graduated in 1954 in physics. He then moved to Madras in the year 1955 from where he studied aerospace engineering. In the year 1960, Kalam completed his engineering studies from Madras Institute of Technology.
Achievements Of APJ Abdul Kalam
- As a scientist and engineer, he worked on several important projects of Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
- Dr. A. P.J. Abdul Kalam was a noted Indian scientist and the 11th President of India.
- He served in some of the most important organizations in the country (DRDO and ISRO).
- He also played an important role in the 1998 Pokhran II nuclear test.
- Dr. Kalam was also involved with India’s space program and missile development program. For this reason he is also called ‘Missile Man’.
- In 2002, Kalam was elected President of India and after serving a 5-year term, he returned to teaching, writing, and public service.
- He was honored with several prestigious awards including Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor.
APJ Abdul Kalam Carrier
After completing his engineering studies from the Madras Institute of Technology, Kalam joined the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) as a scientist. Kalam started his career by designing a small helicopter for the Indian Army. Kalam was not getting satisfaction from his work in DRDO. Kalam Pandit was also a member of the Indian National Committee for Space Research constituted by Jawaharlal Nehru.
During this time he got an opportunity to work with the famous space scientist Vikram Sarabhai. In 1969, he was transferred to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). Here he was appointed as the director of India’s satellite launch vehicle project. As a result of the success of this project, India’s first satellite ‘Rohini’ was placed in the Earth’s orbit in the year 1980.
From July 1992 to December 1999, Dr. Kalam was the Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister and Secretary of the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO). India conducted its second nuclear test during this period. He played an important role in it. R. Dr. Kalam was the coordinator of the project along with Chidambaram. The media coverage found during this made him the country’s largest nuclear scientist.
In 1998, Dr. Kalam along with heart physician Soma Raju developed a low-cost coronary stent. It was named as ‘Kalam-Raju Stent’.
APJ Abdul Kalam Awards
| 1981 | Padma Bhushan |
| 1990 | Padma Vibhushan |
| 1997 | Bharat Ratna |
| 1997 | Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration |
| 1998 | Veer Savarkar Award |
| 2000 | Ramanujan Award |
| 2007 | Honorary Doctorate of Science |
| 2007 | King Charles II Medal Royal Society |
| 2009 | International von Kármán Wings Award |
| 2009 USA | Hoover Medal ASME Foundation |
| 2010 | Doctor of Engineering |
| 2011 | IEEE Honorary Membership, IEEE |
APJ Abdul Kalam Books
| Developments in Fluid Mechanics and Space Technology |
| India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium |
| Wings of Fire: An Autobiography |
| Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India |
| The Luminous Sparks |
| Mission India |
| Inspiring Thoughts |
| Indomitable Spirit |
| Envisioning an Empowered Nation |
| You Are Born To Blossom: Take My Journey Beyond |
| Turning Points: A journey through challenges |
| Target 3 Billion |
| My Journey – Transforming Dreams into Actions |
| A Sequel to India 2020 |
| Forge your Future: Candid, Forthright, Inspiring |
| Reignited: Scientific Pathways to a Brighter Future |
| Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji |
| Advantage India: From Challenge to Opportunity |
Death Of APJ Abdul Kalam
On 27 July 2015, he suffered a heart attack while teaching work at the Indian Institute of Management, Shillong, after which Dr. Abdul Kalam, beloved and favorite of crores of people, went to heavenap.
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