Case Study

APJ Abdul Kalam

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

By = chetan
(19bba026)
Introduction

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen A. P. J. Abdul Kalamwas a scientist

and engineer, who served as the President of India from 2002

to 2007.
He is a man of vision ,who is always full of ideas aimed at the
development of the country and is often also referred to as the
missile man of India.

People loved and respected him so much during his tenure as

president that was popularly called the people’s president.

He is also receive largest civilian award Bharat Ratan in 1997.

A.P.J Abdul Kalam was an Scientist , Engineer , Professor , Author ,

President and a good human being

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, in full Avul Pakir
Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, (born October 15,
1931, Rameswaram, India—died July 27, 2015,
Shillong), Indian scientist and politician who
played a leading role in the development of
India’s missile and nuclear weapons programs.
He was president of India from 2002 to 2007.

Kalam earned a degree in aeronautical

engineering from the Madras Institute of
Technology and in 1958 joined the Defence
Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO). He soon moved to the Indian Space
Research Organisation, where he was project
director of the SLV-III, India’s first indigenously
designed and produced satellite launch vehicle.
Rejoining DRDO in 1982, Kalam planned the
program that produced a number of successful
missiles, which helped earned him the nickname
“Missile Man.”
From 1992 to 1997 Kalam was scientific adviser
to the defense minister, and he later served as
principal scientific adviser (1999–2001) to the
government with the rank of cabinet minister.
His prominent role in the country’s 1998 nuclear
weapons tests established Kalam as a national
hero, although the tests caused great concern in
the international community. In 1998 Kalam put
forward a countrywide plan called Technology
Vision 2020, which he described as a road map
for transforming India from a less-developed to a
developed society in 20 years. The plan called
for, among other measures, increasing
agricultural productivity, emphasizing
technology as a vehicle for economic growth,
and widening access to health care and
education.
In 2002 India’s ruling National Democratic
Alliance (NDA) put forward Kalam to succeed
outgoing President Kocheril Raman Narayanan.
Kalam was nominated by the Hindu nationalist
(Hindutva) NDA even though he was Muslim, and
his stature and popular appeal were such that
even the main opposition party, the Indian
National Congress, also proposed his candidacy.
Kalam easily won the election and was sworn in
as India’s 11th president, a largely ceremonial
post, in July 2002. He remained committed to
using science and technology to transform India
into a developed country. In 2007 Kalam left
office and was succeeded by Pratibha Patil, the
country’s first woman president.

Kalam wrote several books, including an

autobiography, Wings of Fire (1999). Among his
numerous awards were two of the country’s
highest honours, the Padma Vibhushan (1990)
and the Bharat Ratna (1997).

He was the 11th president of India and elected against

Lakshmi Sehgal in 2002. Before becoming the
President of India, he worked with the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) and Defence Research
and Development Organisation (DRDO) as an
aerospace engineer.
He was known as the Missile Man of India for his
important role in the nation's civilian space
programme and military missile development. Also, in
1998, he made significant contributions to India's
Pokhran-II nuclear tests.
Do you know that A.P.J Abdul Kalam began his career
as a scientist at the Aeronautical Development
Establishment of the Defence Research and
Development Organization (DRDO)? He had also served
as the project director of India's first Satellite Launch
Vehicle (SLV-III) at ISRO.
“FAILURE will never overtake me if my definition to
SUCCEED is strong enough”.
In 1990s he had served as the Chief Scientific adviser
to the Prime Minister before becoming the President of
India in 2002. Now, let us study about Dr. A.P.J Abdul
Kalam in detail through this article.

EDUCATION

He completed his education at the Schwartz higher

secondary school, Ramanathapuram

He graduated in physics in 1954 from saint Josephs

college, Tiruchirappalli
 In 1955 to study aerospace engineering in madras
institute of technology

Work at
Defence research and development organisation and Indian
space research organisation

A.P.J Abdul Kalam: Family History and Early Life

Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam was born on 15 October, 1931 to a Tamil
Muslim family in Rameswaram, then in Madras Presidency in British
India and now in Tamil Nadu. His father name was Jainulabdeen,
who was a boat owner and imam of a local mosque. His mother
name was Ashiamma, who was a housewife.
Abdul Kalam was the youngest of five siblings, the eldest was a
sister, namely Asim Zohra and three elder brothers, namely
Mohammed Muthu Meera Lebbai Maraikayar, Mustafa Kalam and
Kasim Mohammed. He was close to his family and always helps
them, though he remained a bachelor whole life.
His ancestors had been wealthy traders and landowners, with
numerous properties and large tracts of land. They trade groceries
between the mainland and the island to and from Srilanka and also
ferrying the pilgrims from mainland to the Pamban Island. So,their
family got the title "Mara Kalam Iyakkivar" (wooden boat steerers)
and later known as "Marakier."
But by 1920s, his family had lost most of his fortune; their
businesses failed and by the time Abdul Kalam was born are in the
stage of the poverty-stricken. To help the family, Kalam started
selling newspapers at an early age.
In his school days, Kalam had average grades but was described
as a bright and hardworking student who had a strong desire to
learn. Mathematics was his main interest.
Knowledge without action is useless and irrelevant. Knowledge with
action converts adversity into prosperity.
Education gives you wings to fly. Achievement comes out of fire in
our subconscious mind that ‘I will win’.
He had completed his matriculation from Schwartz Higher
Secondary School, Ramanathapuram and later he went to Saint
Joseph's college where he became a physics graduate. In 1955, he
went to Madras to study aerospace engineering in Madras Institute
of Technology.
During his third year of graduation, he was assigned a project to
design a low-level attack aircraft together with a few other students.
Their teacher had given them a tight deadline for completing the
project, it was very difficult. Kalam worked hard under immense
pressure and finally completed his project within the stipulated
deadline. The teacher was impressed by the dedication of Kalam.
As a result Kalam want to become a fighter pilot but he got 9th
position in the qualifiers list and only eight positions were available
in the IAF.

A.P.J Abdul Kalam: Education and Career

A.P.J Abdul Kalam had completed his graduation in 1957 from the
Madras Institute of Technology and in 1958 as a scientist he had
joined the Aeronautical Development Establishment of the Defence
Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
In the early 1960s, he worked with the Indian National Committee
for Space Research (INCOSPAR) under the renowned space
scientist Vikram Sarabhai.
He had started his career by designing a small hovercraft at DRDO.
After visiting NASA's Langely Research Centre in Hampton,
Virginia; Goddard Space Flight Centre in Greenbelt, Maryland and
Wallops Flight Facility in 1963-64, he had started working on an
expandable rocket project independently in 1965 at DRDO.

He was not much satisfied with his work at DRDO and when he
received transfer orders to the ISRO in 1969 he became happy.
There he served as the project director of the SLV-III which
successfully deployed the Rohini satellite in near-earth orbit in July
1980. It is India's first indigenously designed and produced satellite
launch vehicle.
Kalam received the government's approval in 1969 and expanded
the programme to include more engineers. In 1970s, he had made
an effort to develop the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) with
an aim to allow India to launch its Indian remote Sensing (IRS)
satellite into Sun-Synchronous orbit, PSLV project was successful
and on 20 September 1993, it was first launched.
Dream is not that which you see while sleeping it is something that
does not let you sleep.

Raja Ramanna invited Abdul Kalam to witness the country's first

nuclear test Smiling Buddha as the representative of TBRL, even
though he had not participated in its development.
In 1970s, Abdul Kalam directed two projects namely Project Devil
and project Valiant. Do you know about the Project Devil? It was an
early liquid-fuelled missile project aimed at producing a short-range
surface-to-air missile. This project was not successful and
discontinued in 1980s and later it led to the development of the
Prithvi missile. On the other hand Project Valiant aimed at the
development of intercontinental ballistic missile. This was also not
successful.

An Indian Ministry of Defence programme managed by DRDO in

partnership with other government organisations launched the
Integrated Guided Missile Development programme (IGMDP) in the
early 1980s. Abdul Kalam was asked to lead the project and in
1983 he returned to DRDO as Chief Executive of IGMDP in 1983.
The programme led to the development of four projects namely
Short range surface-to-surface missile (Prithvi), Short range low-
level surface-to-air missile (Trishul), Medium range surface-to-air
missile (Akash) and Third-generation anti-tank missile (Nag).
The world today is integrally connected through four rapid
connectivities. They are environment, people, economy, and ideas.
Under the leadership of Abdul Kalam, the project of IGMDP proved
to be successful by producing missiles like first Prithvi missile in
1988 and then the Agni missile in 1989. Due to his contribution he
was known as "Missile Man of India."
In 1992, he was appointed as the Scientific Adviser to the Defence
Minister. With the rank of cabinet minister, in 1999, he was
appointed as the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of
India.
Abdul Kalam played a major role in conducting the Pokhran-II, a
series of five nuclear bomb test explosions in May 1998. With the
success of these tests he got the status of a national hero and then
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee declared India a full-fledged
nuclear state.

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam as a President of India (2002

to 2007)

On 10 June 2002, the NDA government proposed Dr.

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam name for the presidential post to the
Leader of opposition, Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

- Dr. Abdul Kalam served as the President of India from 25 July

2002 to 25 July 2007. He was the first scientist and the first
bachelor to occupy the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
A Leader must have a 'Vision' for an organisation, 'Passion' to work
for achieving the goals, 'Curiosity' to travel an unexplored path and
‘Courage' to take decisions.

Do you know that in the presidential election he got approx

922,884 votes and defeated Lakshmi Sehgal.

He became the 11th President of India by succeeding K.R

Narayanan.
He received the prestigious Bharat Ratna and became the third
President to receive the highest civilian honour after Dr. Sarvapali
Radhakrishnan in 1954 Dr. Zakir Hussain in 1963.

Dr. Abdul Kalam was also known as People's President.

According to Dr. Kalam, the toughest decision taken by him as

the President was signing the bill of office of Profit.

Over the course of his five-year term, he remained committed to

his vision of transforming India into a developed nation.
 He was however criticised for his inaction to decide the fate of 20
mercy petitions out of 21, including that of the Kashmiri Terrorist
Afzal Guru, who was convicted for the parliament attacks in
December 2001.

He decided not to contest the Presidential election again in 2007

and stepped down as the president on 25 July 2007.

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: Post Presidency

After leaving the office, Dr. Abdul Kalam chosen the academic
field and became a visiting professor at the Indian Institute of
Management Shillong, the Indian Institute of Management
Ahmedabad, the Indian Institute of Management Indore, an
honorary fellow of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

He also served as the chancellor of the Indian Institute of Space

Science and Technology Thiruvananthapuram, professor of
Aerospace Engineering at Anna University and an adjunct at
many other academic and research institutions across India.
When you speak, speak the truth; perform when you promise;
discharge your trust... Withhold your hands from striking, and from
taking that which is unlawful and bad.

The information technology was also taught by him at the

International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad, and
technology at Banaras Hindu University and Anna University.
In 2011, he was criticised by civil groups over his stand on
Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant as he had supported the
establishment of the nuclear power plant and was accused of not
speaking with the local people.

'What Can I Give Movement' a programme launched by Dr. Abdul

Kalam for the youth of India with a central theme of defeating
corruption.

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: Death

On 27 July 2015, Dr. Abdul Kalam was delivering a lecture at IIM
Shillong where he suffered a heart attack and his condition became
critical, so, he was shifted to Bethany Hospital where thereafter, he
died of cardiac arrest. His last words, to Srijan Pal Singh, were
"Funny guy! Are you doing well?"
It is very easy to defeat someone, but it is very hard to win
someone.
On 30 July, 2015, the former President was laid to rest at
Rameshwaram's Pei Karumbu Ground with State honours. Do you
know that around 350,000 people attended the last ritual of Kalam,
including the Prime Minister of India, the Governor of Tamil Nadu
and the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh?

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: Awards and Achievements

In 1981, Dr. Kalam received Padma Bhushan from the
Government of India.
In 1990, Dr. Kalam received Padma Vibhushan from Government
of India.
In 1994 and 1995, Distinguished Fellow and Honorary Fellow by
Institute of Directors India and National Academy of Medical
Sciences.
In 1997, he had received Bharat Ratna from Government of India
and Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration from Indian
National Congress.
In 1998, Veer Savarkar Award from Government of India.
In 2000, Ramanujan Award from Alwars Research Centre,
Chennai.
In 2007, he was honoured with the King Charles II Medal by the
Royal Society, U.K. and Doctorate of Science from University of
Wolverhampton, UK.
In 2008, he won the Hoover Medal given by ASME Foundation,
USA and received Doctor of Engineering by Nanyang
Technological University, Singapore.
In 2009, The California Institute of Technology, U.S.A, presented
Kalam with the International von Karman Wings Award, Hoover
medal by ASME Foundation, USA and Honorary Doctorate by
Oakland University.
 In 2010, Doctor of Engineering by University of Waterloo.

In 2011, The IEEE honoured Kalam with IEEE Honorary

Membership.

In 2012, Doctor of Laws by Simon Fraser University.

In 2013, Von Braun Award by the National Space Society.

In 2014, Doctor of Science by the Edinburgh University, UK.

Sometimes, it is better to bunk a class and enjoy with friends,
because now, when I look back, marks never make me laugh, but
memories do.

Dr. Kalam was the recipient of honorary doctorates from 40

universities.

Also, Dr. Kalam's 79th birthday was recognised as World

Student's Day by United Nations. He was also nominated for the
MTV Youth icon of the Year in 2003 and in 2006.

Following his death, he received several tributes like the Tamil

Nadu State Government on 15 October that is on his birthday
announced to observe across the state as “Youth Renaissance
Day”. Further the State Government instituted the Dr. A.P.J Abdul
Kalam Award constituting an 8 gm gold medal, a certificate and
Rs 500,000.

On an Independence Day, from 2015, the award will be awarded

annually to the residents of the state with the achievements in
promoting scientific growth, the humanities or the welfare of
students.

Also, the CBSE on the anniversary of Dr. Kalam’s birth set some
topics on his name in the CBSE syllabus or expression series.

Not only this, on 15 October, 2015 the 84th anniversary of

Kalam’s birth, Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India released
 postage stamps commemorating Kalam at DRDO Bhawan in New
Delhi.

A new bacterium as the filters of the International Space Station

(ISS) named it as Solibacilus Kalami to honour the late President
Dr. Abdul Kalam was discovered by the Researchers at the NASA
Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: Legacy

As we know that Dr. Abdul Kalam was the youngest child in his
family and was close to his parents and his brothers and sisters. He
never married and served his relatives whole life. No doubt he was
a very simple person with simple lifestyle. He owned a few
possessions including veena and collection of books. He was a kind
hearted man, a vegetarian and consumed simple food.

For a great men religion is a way of making friends; small people

make religion a fighting tool.
According to S.M Khan who was close to Dr. Abdul Kalam wrote a
book The Peoples President on Abdul Kalam says "He lived the life
of a true Muslim but had high respect for all other religions and
believed that humanism is the biggest quality of a human being. “He
would perform namaaz everyday but also read Bhagwat Gita.
Playing veena has nothing to do with religion. For him religion was
a personal matter and used to emphasise that one should not make
it a matter of pomp and show. He used to say in your dealings with
the society you have to be a humanist. Dr. Kalam often used to cite
the story of how his mentor Vikram Sarabhai asked for church land
for scientific research and got it because the bishop believed that
both science and spirituality seek the Almighty’s blessings for
human prosperity, mind and body."
While delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management
Shillong on 27 July 2015, he collapsed and was rushed to the
Bethany Hospital, where he was confirmed dead of cardiac arrest
and on 30 July 2015 last rituals were performed at Pei Karumbu
Island, Rameswaram.
Biographies on A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Eternal Quest: Life and Times of Dr. Kalam by S Chandra, 2002

President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam by R K Pruthi, 2002

A.P.J.Abdul Kalam: The Visionary of India by K Bhushan and G

Katyal, 2002

The Kalam Effect: My Years with the President by P M Nair, 2008

A Little Dream (Documentary film) by P. Dhanapal, (2008)

My Days With Mahatma Abdul Kalam by Fr A K George, 2009

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: Famous Quotes

“Don’t take rest after your first victory because if

you fail in second, more lips are waiting to say
that your first victory was just luck.”
“My 2020 Vision for India is to transform it into a
developed nation. That cannot be abstract; it is a
lifeline.”...... etc.