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 Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, popularly known as Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam is a well known Indian scientist and engineer. He was the 12th President of India from the period 2002 to 2007. He is also known as the “People’s President” and the “Missile Man of India”. He was born on October 15, 1931 in Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu, to Jainulabdeen and Ashiamma.
Dr. Kalam finished his schooling from Schwartz High School in Ramanathapuram. He used to work as a newspaper vendor. He graduated in Science from St. Joseph’s College in Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu. He completed his D.M.I.T. in Aeronautical Engineering from Madras Institute of Technology (M.I.T) in Chennai.
Dr. Kalam started his career with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited at Bangalore as a trainee. As an aeronautical engineer he had 2 options - to join the Directorate of Technical Development and Production (D.T.D & P) (Air) of the Ministry of Defense or to join the Indian Air Force. As he could not join the Indian Air Force, he joined the Technical Centre (Civil Aviation) of the DTD&P (Air) as Senior Scientific Assistant. While working at the Air force Directorate he got a chance to realize his dream. He started his rocket and missile technology career by joining the Indian Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR), the predecessor of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
He worked with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) from 1963 to 1982. He played a key role in developing satellite launch vehicle technology and expertise in control, propulsion and aerodynamics. He led the team and managed to put Rohini, a scientific satellite into orbit in July 1980. India also acquired the ability to design various kinds of rocket systems.
He joined the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) as a director in 1982. He was entrusted with the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). Under his leadership India was able to develop strategic missiles like Nag (an anti-tank guided missile), Prithvi (a surface to surface battlefield missile), Akash (a medium - range surface-to-air missile), Trishul (a quick-reaction surface – to – air missile) and Agni (an intermediate range ballistic missile). All this earned him the title of the “Missile Man of India”.
He had also participated in India’s mission to become a nuclear weapon state undertaken by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). He became the chairman of the Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) and was involved with the creation of Technology Vision 2020 and the India Millennium Missions (IMM 2020). He was appointed as Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India in November 1999.
He left the post of Principal Scientific Adviser and joined the Anna University at Chennai as Professor of Technology and Societal Transformation. He was elected as the president of India on July 25, 2002. His term as president ended on July 25, 2007.
Dr. Kalam has also authored several books such as:
• Wings of Fire: An Autobiography of APJ Abdul Kalam (1999)
• India 2020: A Vision for the New (2003)
• Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India (2003)
• India-my-dream (2004)
• Envisioning an Empowered Nation: Technology for Societal Transformation (2004) Guiding Souls: Dialogues on the Purpose of Life (2005)
He was honored with Padma Bhushan award in 1981, Padma Vibhushan in 1990 and Bharat Ratna award in 1997. He also received an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Wolverhampton in October 2007.
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