Good day student!

As a person working in the legal field, I will provide simple, clear, and short answers in order for
you to understand and retain the answers and ideas. These will help you lengthen or even
create better answers in the future.

All you need to know about

APJ Abdul Kalam!
The Indian missile man

APJ Abdul Kalam was also known as the ‘Missile Man of India’ for his contribution to the
development of India’s missile projects, Prithvi and Agni missiles. India became a nuclear power
under Kalam who was the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister between 1992 and
1999. The former president was also the head of several nuclear tests at Pokhran.
His list of achievements also includes being the head of the Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Kalam also worked on the
development of ISRO’s indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle as project director. Under his
leadership, Rohini Satellite was deployed in near-Earth orbit through the SLV-III in 1980.
The Missile Man also contributed to the medical health sector by creating a low-cost coronary
stent along with cardiologist Soma Raju. The stent is known as 'Kalam-Raju Stent'.

For his contribution towards the development of the nation, he was awarded the third highest
civilian honour Padma Bhushan in 1990. In 1997, Kalam became the recipient of India’s highest
civilian honour Bharat Ratna.

The former President was also known as people’s president as he met several young people and
students during his tenure.

Kalam authored India 2020: A Visionfor the New Millennium with YS Rajan which was published
in 1998. His autobiography Wings of Fire was published a year later in 1999.

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, the 11th President of India, was an inspiration and motivational figure for
millions across the world. His persona and his legacy has contributed majorly in the science field,
especially in defence technology. Dr. Kalam was a decorated scientist who became the first
president of India without a political background.

Today, Indians mark his death anniversary, when on July 27, 2015 he suffered a cardiac arrest
while delivering a lecture in IIM Shillong and said goodbye to millions of followers.
 Here are five interesting facts about Dr. Kalam who is also nicknamed as the ‘Missile Man of India’
due to his highly researched, successful work with ballistic missiles and launch vehicle technology

1. When Dr. Kalam was 10, he distributed newspapers in his hometown of Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu
due to poverty at home. He graduated from Madras Institute of Technology in aeronautical
engineering. Then, he worked with DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation). He
had also designed helicopters for the Indian Army.

2. In his prolific career spanning decades, A P J Kalam held the distinction of holding doctorates(P.H.D
degrees) from over 40 universities across the world!

3. He was the brain and backbone of the development of Prithvi and Agni missiles of India. He also
designed indigenous weapons by bringing together various institutions which led to the formation
of BrahMos Aerospace between Russia and India. Dr. Kalam also made significant contributions to
the nuclear capabilities of India. The Pokhran -2 nuclear tests (in 1998) were successful under his
nuclear expertise and guidance.

4. He never owned a television set. His only personal belongings included his beloved books, a veena
he was very fond of playing in his spare time, a CD player, and a laptop. In the books he authored,
he wrote about his struggles and wrote many inspirational quotes and poems. Many of his books
include Wings of Fire, Ignited Minds, Inspiring Thoughts, and Turning Points among others.

5. In the year 1997, Kalam received India's highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, for his
contribution to the scientific research and modernisation of defence technology in India.

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God bless!