The inspiring life of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

Dr. Kalam was the 11th President of India, from 25 July 2002 – 25 July 2007. He was a man loved by all and hated by none, earning an enduring title – ‘People’s President’.

Dr. Kalam was born on Pambam Island, Rameswaram which is a pilgrimage center in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. His ancestors were wealthy merchants and landowners, however, they slipped into poverty by the time of Dr. Kalam’s early childhood. As a result, he had to sell newspapers to augment the family income during his school days.

He narrowly missed his dream of becoming a fighter pilot as he secured the 9th rank in the qualifiers for the Indian Air Force (IAF), but there were only 8 positions available. In 1955, he moved to Madras to study aerospace engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology.

From July 1992 to December 1999, Kalam served as Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and Secretary of the Defense Research and Development Organisation. The Pokhran-II nuclear tests were performed during this time in which he played an intense administrative and technical role. During the testing phase, Kalam served as the Chief Project Coordinator along with Rajagopala Chidambaram.

Very few people know that in 1998, Kalam created a low-cost coronary stent, called the "Kalam-Raju Stent" along with cardiologist Soma Raju.

In 1997, for his contribution to scientific research and modernization of defense technology in India, Dr. Kalam received India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna. However, his greatest achievement probably was inspiring India’s youth to reach for the stars and devote their time and energy to ensure that India became a developed nation.

Regards,
Rohit Chopra
Founder @Zifcare