A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam)

Background

Kalam was born in Rameswaram, a pilgrimage centre on Pamban Island in the former Madras Presidency. His father, Jainulabdeen Marakayar, owned a boat and served as an imam, while his mother, Ashiamma, managed the household. The family had earlier prospered through trade and passenger transport between the island, mainland India, and Sri Lanka, but its fortunes declined after the Pamban Bridge connected the island to the mainland.

Kalam was the youngest of five siblings. During his childhood, the family lived with limited means, and he delivered newspapers to supplement its income. His early environment combined the religious life of Rameswaram with the commercial and cultural connections of coastal Tamil Nadu.

Education

Kalam attended Schwartz Higher Secondary School in Ramanathapuram, where teachers described him as hardworking and eager to learn. He graduated in physics from St. Joseph's College in Tiruchirappalli in 1954. St. Joseph's was a Catholic college within India's expanding postcolonial higher-education system.

In 1955 he moved to Madras to study aerospace engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology, an institution associated with advanced technical and engineering education. He completed the program in 1960. His education prepared him for work in India's developing aeronautical, space, and defence research institutions.

Career

After graduating in 1960, Kalam joined the Defence Research and Development Organisation as a scientist through the Defence Research and Development Service. At the Aeronautical Development Establishment he worked on the design of a small hovercraft. He later joined the Indian National Committee for Space Research and was recruited into the Indian Space Research Organisation by H. G. S. Murthy, the first director of the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station.

Kalam transferred to ISRO in 1969 and became project director of India's first satellite launch vehicle. The SLV-3 successfully placed the Rohini satellite into near-Earth orbit in July 1980. He also contributed to the development of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle and had visited NASA facilities in the United States during the 1960s.

During the 1970s, Kalam directed Project Devil and Project Valiant, which sought to apply launch-vehicle technology to ballistic missiles. He later became chief executive of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, overseeing work associated with the Agni intermediate-range ballistic missile and the Prithvi tactical surface-to-surface missile. These activities led to his popular description as the Missile Man of India.

From July 1992 to December 1999, Kalam served as scientific adviser to the defence minister, chief scientific adviser to the prime minister, and secretary of the DRDO. He was chief project coordinator, with Rajagopala Chidambaram, for the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in May 1998. He also collaborated with cardiologist Bhupathiraju Somaraju on the low-cost Kalam-Raju coronary stent and later on a tablet computer for rural health workers.

Kalam was elected president of India in July 2002 and was sworn in as the country's 11th president on July 25. His term lasted until 2007, and he became widely known as the People's President. After leaving office, he taught and lectured at institutions including IIM Shillong, Anna University, and the Indian Institute of Science. He became the first chancellor of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology in 2007 and continued to write and promote education, scientific development, and youth programs.

On July 27, 2015, Kalam collapsed while delivering a lecture at IIM Shillong and died at Bethany Hospital from cardiac arrest. He was buried at Pei Karumbu in Rameswaram with full state honours.

Achievements

• Kalam directed the Indian satellite launch vehicle program whose SLV-3 placed the Rohini satellite into near-Earth orbit in July 1980.

• He led major elements of India's Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, including work associated with the Agni and Prithvi missile systems.

• He served as chief project coordinator for India's Pokhran-II nuclear tests in May 1998.

• He co-developed the low-cost Kalam-Raju coronary stent and later a tablet computer intended for rural healthcare workers.

• As president, he promoted education, scientific development, youth participation, and public engagement with national development.

Works

More photos

• autobiography

  • Wings of Fire

    (Autobiography co-authored with Arun Tiwari, describing Ka...)

    1999

  • My Journey: Transforming Dreams into Actions

    (An autobiographical work about translating aspirations in...)

    2014

  • Turning Points: A Journey through Challenges

    (A continuation of Kalam's autobiographical reflections on...)

    2012

• book

  • Advantage India: From Challenge to Opportunity

    (Co-authored with Srijan Pal Singh; discusses ways to addr...)

    2015
  • Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power within India

    (A book presenting Kalam's ideas about education, national...)

    2002

  • Target 3 Billion: Innovative Solutions towards Sustainable Development

    (Co-authored with Srijan Pal Singh; discusses innovative a...)

    2011

  • Reignited: Scientific Pathways to a Brighter Future

    (Co-authored with Srijan Pal Singh; promotes scientific th...)

    2015

  • The Family and the Nation

    (Co-authored with Acharya Mahapragya; considers the relati...)

    2015

  • Inspiring Thoughts: Quotation Series

    (A collection of thoughts and quotations associated with K...)

    2007

  • Developments in Fluid Mechanics and Space Technology

    (Co-authored with Roddam Narasimha; a technical work on fl...)

    1988

  • Failure to Success: Legendary Lives

    (Co-authored with Arun Tiwari; examines life stories in re...)

    2011

  • You Are Unique: Scale New Heights by Thoughts and Actions

    (Co-authored with Poonam Kohli; presents guidance on perso...)

    2012

  • Indomitable Spirit

    (A collection of Kalam's ideas and reflections on resilien...)

    2013

  • Beyond 2020: A Vision for Tomorrow's India

    (A work extending Kalam's proposals for India's scientific...)

    2014

  • You Are Born To Blossom: Take My Journey Beyond

    (Co-authored with Arun Tiwari; encourages personal develop...)

    2010

  • Mission India: A Vision for Indian Youth

    (Co-authored with Manav Gupta; addresses India's future an...)

    2005

  • Forge Your Future: Candid, Forthright, Inspiring

    (A collection of Kalam's advice and reflections directed t...)

    2014

  • Guiding Souls: Dialogues on the Purpose of Life

    (Co-authored with Arun Tiwari; explores purpose, values, a...)

    2005

  • Spirit of India

    (A work expressing Kalam's reflections on India's identity...)

    2013

  • Governance for Growth in India

    (A work on governance and the institutional conditions for...)

    2014

  • The Luminous Sparks: A Biography in Verse and Colours

    (A biographical and artistic work combining verse and visu...)

    2004

  • India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium

    (Co-authored with Y. S. Rajan; presents a program for Indi...)

    1998
  • Envisioning an Empowered Nation: Technology for Societal Transformation

    (Co-authored with A. Sivathanu Pillai; discusses technolog...)

    2004

  • The Scientific India: A Twenty First Century Guide to the World Around Us

    (Co-authored with Y. S. Rajan; presents scientific and tec...)

    2011

  • We Can Do It: Thoughts for Change

    (Co-authored with A. Sivathanu Pillai; discusses change, i...)

    2014

  • A Manifesto for Change: A Sequel to India 2020

    (Co-authored with V. Ponraj; develops proposals for techno...)

    2014

  • ISBN

  • Roddam Narasimha

    1988

  • Penguin Books

    2002

  • A. Sivathanu Pillai

    2004

  • Arun Tiwari

    2005

  • Manav Gupta

    2005

  • Rajpal & Sons

    2007

  • Y. S. Rajan

    2011

  • Harper Collins

    2012

  • Rupa Publications

    2014

  • V. Ponraj

    2014

  • Srijan Pal Singh

    2015

  • Acharya Mahapragya

    2015

• quotation collection

  • The Guiding Light: A Selection of Quotations from My Favourite Books

    (A selection of quotations from books that Kalam regarded ...)

    2015

• spiritual memoir

  • Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji

    (Co-authored with Arun Tiwari; recounts Kalam's spiritual ...)

    2015

Religion

Kalam was a practicing Sunni Muslim who regarded daily prayer and Ramadan fasting as important parts of his life. His father, an imam, also encouraged respect and dialogue among Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity.

Kalam studied Hindu traditions, learned Sanskrit, and read the Bhagavad Gita alongside the Quran. He emphasized interfaith cooperation and regarded religion as a means of friendship rather than conflict. His spiritual outlook also included a significant relationship with Pramukh Swami Maharaj, whom he considered his guru.

Politics

Kalam was a nonpartisan public figure who became president with support from the governing Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance and opposition parties, including the Indian National Congress. His election in 2002 reflected a broad political consensus around a scientist and public servant rather than a conventional party politician.

As president, Kalam supported national development through science, technology, education, and social cooperation. He called for a more united India and advocated dialogue among the country's religious, social, and political traditions. He also supported the development of India's strategic and civilian nuclear capabilities and expressed support for the Koodankulam nuclear power plant.

Views

Kalam's public philosophy centered on scientific development, education, self-reliance, and the transformation of India into a knowledge-based and developed nation. In India 2020, he identified agriculture and food processing, education and healthcare, information and communication technology, infrastructure and reliable power, and self-reliance in critical technologies as interconnected national priorities.

He believed that young people should be encouraged to imagine and build India's future. His writings also joined technological progress with ethical responsibility, interfaith respect, compassion, and spiritual development. He supported open-source technology because he believed broad access to information technology could extend its benefits to more people.

Personality

Kalam was associated with personal integrity, a simple lifestyle, and a strong commitment to interacting with students. He was a teetotaler and vegetarian, and he deliberately maintained an accessible public style that contributed to his reputation as the People's President.

Quotes from others about the person

• Kalam was widely referred to as the People's President. Shashi Tharoor described him as an embodiment of India's diverse cultural traditions.

Interests

• He wrote Tamil poetry, maintained an interest in biomedical implants and other scientific developments, and promoted student engagement with science and technology.

• Music & Bands

  Kalam played the veena and listened daily to Carnatic devotional music.

Connections

Kalam was the youngest of five siblings: his sister Asim Zohra and brothers Mohammed Lebbai, Mustafa Kalam, and Kasim Mohammed. He remained close to his siblings and their extended families throughout his life.

Kalam was a lifelong bachelor. His spiritual relationship with Pramukh Swami Maharaj developed through eight meetings over fourteen years, and Kalam described the Hindu spiritual leader as his guru and a major influence on his later reflections.

Father:

Jainulabdeen Marakayar

Boat owner and imam of a local mosque.

Mother:

Ashiamma

Kalam's mother and a homemaker.

Sister:

Asim Zohra

Kalam's elder sister.

Brother:

Mohammed Lebbai

Kalam's elder brother.

Brother:

Mustafa Kalam

Kalam's elder brother.

Brother:

Kasim Mohammed

Kalam's elder brother.

colleague:

Pramukh Swami Maharaj

Hindu spiritual leader whom Kalam considered his guru.

colleague:

H. G. S. Murthy

First director of the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station who recruited Kalam into the Indian space program.

References

• Pride of the Nation: Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam Book by Mahesh Sharma about Kalam.
  2004
• A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: The Visionary of India Biography by K. Bhushan and G. Katyal.
  2002
• President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Biography by R. K. Pruthi.
  2005
• Presidents of India, 1950–2003 Reference work by Janak Raj Jai covering India's presidents, including Kalam's public career.
  2003
• A to C (Abd Allah ibn al-Abbas to Cypress). Encyclopaedia reference entry concerning Kalam.
  2000
• Prisoners of the Nuclear Dream Book by Amartya Sen discussing nuclear policy and South Asian public life.
  2003
• Indo-Russian military and nuclear cooperation: lessons and options for U.S. policy in South Asia Study by Jerome M. Conley addressing military and nuclear cooperation in South Asia.
  2001
• Basic Technical Communication Technical communication textbook by Kavita Tyagi.
  2011
• Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power within India Book by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, published by Penguin Books, ISBN 9780670049288.
  2002
• Envisioning an Empowered Nation: Technology for Societal Transformation Book by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, published by McGraw-Hill, ISBN 9780070531543.
  2004