Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam – The Missile Man of India

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.

He spent four decades of his life as a researcher and science head, primarily at the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and was personally required in India's civilian space program and military rocket advancement efforts.

Some Interesting Facts About Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

  • APJ Kalam was born on October 15, 1931, into a poor family. His father had only one boat to support his family.
  • At the tender age of five, he started selling newspapers to help his father support the family.
  • He missed an opportunity to become a fighter pilot for the Indian Air force as he managed to secure ninth spot on the list and there were only eight openings for the post.
  • He was the project director for Satellite Launch Vehicles at the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). Under the guidance of Kalam, India was able to launch the Rohini satellite series into Earth’s orbit
  • He was honored with many awards, including the highest civilian award in the country, the Bharat Ratna (1997). His other awards include Padma Bhushan in 1981) and Padma Vibhushan (1990).
  • He was known as the ‘Missile Man’ of India due to his continued, successful work with ballistic missiles and launch vehicle technology.
  • Interestingly, he was also honored with doctorates from 40 universities.
  • He became the president of India, on July 25, 2002. He was known as “the People’s President” because of his simple and down-to-earth attitude.
  • APJ Kalam’s visit to Switzerland is commemorated as Science Day in the country.
  • On the occasion of his birthday, the United Nations (UN) in 2015 had declared to observe it as World Student’s Day.

Some Inspiring Quotes By Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Which I Like Most

Dream is not that which you see while sleeping, it is something that does not let you sleep.

If you want to shine like a sun, first burn like a sun.

Excellence happens not by accident. It is a process.

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.

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