“Missile Man” – the sobriquet used to address APJ Abdul Kalam is misleading. Behind it, lurking in ambush, are the very fine qualities befitting Kalam’s gentlemanly personality.
Almost everyone knows about his successful efforts to replenish India’s missile reservoir during his stint at DRDO but to judge his legacy solely on that is foolhardy. Undoubtedly, Kalam was a humdinger of a scientist but his actions have had positive implications not only in the area of scientific improvement but also in the lives of people.
Owing to his humble beginnings (Kalam was born to a boat owner) he had to sell newspapers and ferry people across rivers during his schooling days to fend for his family. His journey from Rameswaram to becoming, arguably, India’s most famous President was nothing short of legendary. Akin to a certain chaiwala, millions of Indians could relate to his life story.
In 1960, after becoming a scientist, Kalam joined the DRDO, and designed a helicopter. Later on, he worked with ISRO, where he became India’s first project director behind to launch a satellite vehicle successfully.Throughout the 80s, he successfully managed to build missiles like Agni and Prithvi.
Kalam’s contributions to society and the nation at large were selfless and endless. Light-weight callipers and the Kalam-Raju stent were two of his most significant and valuable innovations, as it served the needy. Needless to say, they were the innovations that were the most dear to him.
A Padma Bhushan, a Padma Vibhushan and a Bharat Ratna were few of the many achievements of his distinguished career, but no number of awards can quantify the greatness of the man.
Even as the President of the country, Kalam was always respected and admired, not just amongst his fellow countrymen, but colleagues and peers the world over. Despite failing, he insisted on doing away with the diabolical Office of Profit Bill in the parliament.
A staunch adversary of the capital punishments, he didn’t take decisions on 20 of the 21 mercy petitions during his tenure as president. He was of the opinion that he was not sure whether a human being is competent to take away a life based on artificial and created evidence.
A fantastic speaker and a writer, all of Kalam’s quotes and speeches inspired people to sail from the realm of ordinary to that of the extraordinary.
Here was simple human being who revelled in simple small things of life. Maybe that’s the secret to lead a legendary life.
Bharat has lost its Ratna.
Blasphemous Balderdash 