The death of Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam, the 11th President of India on 27th July 2015 was indeed a shocking news to the world. He died following a sudden cardiac arrest while attending an event in an university where he was to give a lecture and was brought to the hospital in an almost dead condition. I was really shocked and couldn’t believe the news. I doubt if I would be able to see another great soul like him as a leader of a nation in my lifetime. Kalam was laid to rest in his hometown, Rameswaram on 30th July 2015. Kalam was buried with full state honours. As a Tamilan from Malaysia, I do feel the sadness and griefs of the Indians, especially the Tamil people there. It is a great lost not only to the Tamils and Indians, but also to the world.
He became known as the “people’s president” because he welcomed the public into the Presidential Palace in New Delhi, and made himself accessible whenever he travelled. Kalam, who has died aged 83, was unusual, too, in that he never held any political ambitions.
Son of Jainulabdeen and Ashiamma, Kalam was born in the small temple town of Rameswaram on the southern coast. His father, who owned a boat, had no academic qualifications but was deeply interested in religion; a Muslim himself, he used to hold regular meetings in his house with a Christian and a Hindu priest. Kalam said it was from their discussions that he learned what he called “true secularism”.
APJ Abdul Kalam with US President Barack Obama in New Delhi in Jan 2015
He went to a Catholic school, St Joseph’s college, in another southern temple town, Tiruchirappalli, formerly Trichinopoly. He studied physics there, but was not an outstanding student. After leaving the Madras Institute of Technology in 1960, he joined the Defence Research and Development Organisation, and his subsequent scientific career was spent in government research organisations. In most of these, scientists are hampered by bureaucratic procedures and political interference. Kalam developed the skill of protecting his scientists without falling out of favour.
Kalam and Nelson Mandela
He held a series of prestigious posts, including project director for India’s first indigenous satellite launch vehicle, and chief of the integrated guided missile development programme. From 1992 until 1999 he was chief scientific adviser to the prime minister and the defence minister. In 1998 he was the chief project co-ordinator for India’s second nuclear test. The year before that he was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour.
Kalam receiving the Bharat Ratna award from President Narayanan in 1997, Kalam succeeded Narayanan as President in 2002
In 2002 there was a disagreement between the two biggest political parties, the rightwing Hindu Bharatiya Janata party, or BJP, which was in power, and the Nehru-Gandhi family’s Congress party, over the choice of politician to be elected president. The then BJP prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, broke the logjam by offering the presidency to Kalam. The Congress realised they could not object to him.
Abdul Kalam taking oath as the 11th President of India
After his retirement Kalam remained a public figure, accepting invitations from all over India to speak, particularly to students and children. Throughout his time in office he had sought to make the presidency relevant to young people, and afterwards spoke of himself as a teacher. He also learned the classical instrument, the rudra veena.
An unmarried vegetarian, Kalam is survived by a brother.
Kalam with his elder brother in their native place, Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu
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