Biographyguide of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

NAME: A.P.J. ABDUL KALAM

Date of Birth: October 15 1931

Birth Place: Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, India.

Father Name: Jainulabdeen (He is boat Owner)

Mother Name: Ashiamma (Homemaker)

He started working at a young age to support his father. He received average grades in schools but was seen as a hardworking and right student with a strong desire to learn things. He used to study for hours, especially mathematics. He completed his schooling from Rameshwaram Elementary School in 1954 he graduated in Physics from St. Joseph's College in Tiruchirappalli, which was then affiliated to the University of Madras. Thereafter in 1955 he moved to Madras and joined the Madras institute of Technology and studied aerospace engineering. His dream was to become a fighter pilot bu he was ranked ninth while the IAF offered only eight slots. He is a bachelor.

ACHIEVEMENTS SCIENTIST:

1. After completing his graduation in 1960, Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam joined as a scientist in Defense Research and Development Organization's Aeronautical Development Estalishment. At the very start of his career he designed a small helicopter for the Indian Army.
2. He also worked under the renowned scientist Vikram Sarabhai as a part of the committee of INCOSPAR. From 1963 to 1964 Kalam visited the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenelt, Maryland, the Wallops Flight Facility located at the Eastern Shore of Virginia and the Langley Research Center of Nasa situated at Hampton Virginia.
3. In 1965, he for the first time, worked independently in Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) on an expandable rocket project. The program was expended in 1969 and more engineers were included after receiving government's approval.
4. He became the Project Director of India's first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III) when he was transferred in 1969 to Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). In July 1980 his team was successful in deploying the Rohini satellite near the orbit of the Earth.
5. Dr. Kalam's efforts in developing the projects on SLV-III and Polar SLV from 1970s to 1990s proved to be successful. He directed Project Valiant and Project Devil that aimed at developing ballistic missiles using the technology of the SLV programme that was a success. It is known that the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, using her discretionary powers, allotted secret funds when these aerospace projects were disapproved by the Union Cabinet.
6. Dr. Kalam and Dr. V. S. Arunachalam, on the proposal of the then Defense Minister R. Venkataraman, worked on developing a quiver of missiles instead of one at a time. Dr. Kalam was made the Chief Executive of the program, which was named integrated Guide Missile Development program.
7. From July 1992 to December 1999 he remained the Secretary of the Defense Research and Development Organisation, and also the Chief Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister. This period witnessed the Pokhran II nuclear tests, when Dr. Kalam played a key technological and political role. At the time of the testing phase, he along with R. Chidambaram, was made the Chief Project Coordinator. He developed a low-cost Coronary Stent along with Dr. Soma Raju, a cardiologist, in 1998. It was named "Kalam-Raju Stent" after them. Both of them also designed a tablet PC called "Kalam-Raju Tablet" for healthcare in rural areas.

PRESIDENT OF INDIA

1. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government on 10 June 2002 proposed He name for the Presidential to the Leader of Opposition, Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
2. The Nationalist Congress Party and the Samajwadi Party supported his candidature.
3. Dr. Kalam served as the President of India from 25 July 2002 to 25 July 2007.
4. Kalam won the election, getting 9,22,884 votes, thus defeating Lakshmi Sehgal, who got 1,07,366 votes.
5. He succeeded K.R. Narayanan as the 11th President of India.
6. Kalam is the third President of India to have received the prestigious Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour. It was earlier given to Dr. Sarvapali Radhakrishnan in 1954 and Dr. Zakir Hussain in 1963.
7. Kalam is the first bachelor and scientist to reside in the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
8. He was affectionately called the People's President.
9. According to him the toughest decision taken by him as President was signing the Bill of Office of Profit. Kalam was criticized as a President 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.

HONOURS AWARDS

1. Dr. Kalam's 79th Birthday as "World Student's Day" recognized by The United Nations.
2. In 1981 he received the Padma Bhushan.
3. In 1990 the Padma Vibhushan from the Indian Government for his work with DRDO and ISRO and as scientific advisor to the government.
4. Dr. Kalam received the Bharat Ratna in 1997 for his contribution in the field of scientific research, development and modernization of technology.
5. In 1997, the Indian National Congress conferred him with the Indira Gandhi Awarded for National Integration.
6. In 1998 the Government of India gave him the Veer Savarkar Award.
7. The Alwars Research Centre of Chennai bestowed on him the Ramanujan Award in 2000.
8. The University of Wolverhampton in UK bestowed on him the Honorary Doctorate of Science in 2007.
9. Royal Society of UK honoured him with the King Charles II Medal in 2007.
10. In 2008 Kalam received the Doctor of Engineering (Honoris Causa) from Singapore's Nanyang Technological University.
11. The California Institute of Technology, USA honoured him with the International von Karman Wings Award in 2009.
12. Kalam received the Hoover Medal from ASME Foundation, U.S.A. in 2009.
13. The University of Waterloo honoured him with the Doctor of Engineering in 2010.
14. In 2011 he became the Honorary member of the IEEE.
15. In 2012 the Simon Fraser University conferred him the Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa).

DOCUMENT AND BOOKS BY DR. KALAM

1. Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power within India
2. Inspiring Thoughts
3. Indomitable Spirit
4. The Luminous Sparks
5. Turning Points: A journey through challenges
6. My Journey: Transforming Dreams into Actions
7. Developments in Fluid Mechanics and Space Technology by Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam and Roddam Narasimha
8. India 2020: A vision for the New Millennium, by Dr. A.P.J. Addul Kalam and Y.S. Rajan.
9. Wings of Fire: An Autobiography, by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Arun Tiwari.
10. Mission India, by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
11. Envisioning an Empowered Nation, by Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam and A. Sivathanu Pillai.
12. You are Born To Blossom: Take my Journey Beyond by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Arun Tiwari.
13. Target 3 Billion, by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Srijan Pal Singh

BIOGRAPHIES

1. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: The Visionary of India, by K. Bhushan and G. Katyal.
2. Eternal Quest Life and Times of Dr. Kalam written by S. Chandra.
3. President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam written by R.K. Pruthi.
4. My Days with Mahatma Abdul Kalam, written by Fr. A.K. George.
5. A Little Dream, a documentary film by P. Dhanapal, Minveli Media Works Private LTD.
6. The Kalam Effect My Years with the President, written by P.M. Nair.