12 Things that made Dr APJ Abdul Kalam the Most Extra Ordinary Man We Know
APJ Abdul Kalam, ex President, author, inspirational speaker, scientist, researcher and much more. His place can never be filled. Here are 12 things that made him the extra ordinary man that he was.
APJ Abdul Kalam, ex President, author, inspirational speaker, scientist, researcher and much more. His place can never be filled. Here are 12 things that made him the extra ordinary man that he was.
Going to Shillong.. to take course on Livable Planet earth at iim. With @srijanpalsingh and Sharma.
— APJ Abdul Kalam (@APJAbdulKalam) July 27, 2015
When Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam tweeted this, who would have thought this would be the last tweet he’ll post and the last lecture he’d give.
The highly respected “missile man” and ex-President of India was giving a lecture at IIM Shillong when he collapsed due to a cardiac arrest at 6:30 pm on Monday, July 27. He was then rushed to Bethany Hospital where he was declared dead at 7:45 pm. He was 83.
As soon as the news broke out, the entire nation mourned the death of this amazing man who has inspired millions of people with his incredible achievements and personality.
As we feel the loss of one of the most loved and respected personalities of the country, here are some amazing things that made Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam an extra ordinary man –
1. Born on October 15, 1931, Kalam came from a humble background. He sold newspapers to support his family financially when he was a kid.
Photo: Twitter
2. Dr. Kalam is known as the father of Indian Missile Technology and has played a prominent role in India’s 1998 nuclear weapons tests.
Photo: http://abdulkalam.nic.in/
3. He brought dignity to whatever he did. Even politics!
Photo: www.abdulkalam.nic.in
He served as India’s 11th President from 2002-2007 and was undoubtedly one of the most loved politicians of the country.
4. Before becoming the president, Dr. Kalam worked as an Aerospace Engineer with DRDO and ISRO. He was called the “Missile Man” of India.
Photo: www.cutorcopy.com
While working as project manager at DRDO, he played a crucial role in the development of India’s first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III).
5. Dr. Kalam was much more than a political figure. He was a scientist, writer, inspirational speaker and motivational figure.
Photo: Twitter
He had written several best selling books like Wings of Fire, Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India and India 2020. He was also a great speaker and had inspired millions of people through his incredible speeches.
6. Dr. Kalam’s infectious personality had not just inspired Indians but also people across the globe.
Photo: Twitter
Switzerland commemorate Mr.Kalam’s visit to their country (26th May) as Science day.
7. Kalam was nominated for Youth Icon of the Year award by MTV in 2003 and 2006. His age was 73 and 76 respectively then.
Photo: http://www.dayandnightnews.com/
8. In 1998, he along with cardiologist Dr Soma Raju developed a low-cost coronary stent. It was later named ‘Kalam-Raju Stent’ in their honour.
They also designed a rugged tablet PC for health care in rural areas named ‘Kalam-Raju Tablet’.
9. Dr. Kalam had received several awards and recognition for his extra ordinary contribution to scientific research and modernization of defense technology in India.
Photo: http://ieeesstc.org/
He was honoured with the Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan and even Bharat Ratna.
10. Dr. Kalam was a great colleague too and went an extra mile for his co-workers.
Photo: http://www.jumpgrades.com/
One day, one of his co-workers had taken permission from Dr. Kalam to leave early from work as he had to take his kids to the carnival. But for some reason he could not get free on time. When he reached home later in the night, his wife told him that Dr. Kalam had visited their house earlier that evening and had taken the kids to the carnival.
11. When Dr. Kalam first moved to Rashtrapati Bhawan, he asked all luxurious rooms to be locked up as he didn’t want to use them.
Photo: twitter
He moved to a small room where he kept his bed. He used the same room to work and sleep. Not only this, the humble man also kept his dining room locked and often had his meals on the floor with the staff who worked with him.
12. Dr. Kalam was a great inspiration to many, especially kids, and always inspired them to dream big and achieve great goals in life.
Photo: idiva.com
“I will not be presumptuous enough to say that my life can be a role model for anybody; but some poor child living in an obscure place in an underprivileged social setting may find a little solace in the way my destiny has been shaped.”
– Dr. APJ Kalam
He was also a Veena player and was filled with energy. He loved students and died doing what he loved the most: spending time with students and being among them.
The missing place of Dr. Kalam can never be filled but his inspiring words will forever be with us and inspire us to do more. RIP Missile Man. You will be missed.
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